The University of Tennessee men's basketball program has become a five-star destination.
Kennedy Chandler, the nation's No. 1 point guard in the 2021 recruiting class, announced his commitment to coach Rick Barnes and the Volunteers on Friday afternoon through a 55-second video posted on ESPN's "SportsCenter" Twitter account. The 6-foot-1, 165-pounder played the past three seasons at Briarcrest Christian in Memphis but is scheduled to play the 2020-21 season at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas.
"I want to go to a place where the coach is undeniable and a place where toughness and work ethic are part of the daily program," Chandler said in the video. "With that being said, I will always rep my city, but I'm going to play for my state. I'll be attending the University of Tennessee. Go Vols."
Chandler, the first commitment in Tennessee's 2021 class, is the nation's No. 11 prospect overall in the 247Sports.com composite rankings. He picked the Vols over scholarship offers from Duke, Kentucky, Memphis and North Carolina.
Josiah Jordan-James, who is entering his sophomore season with the Vols, was a five-star signee in the 2019 class. Tennessee's 2020 class is ranked fourth nationally by 247Sports and includes five-star combination guard Jaden Springer of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and five-star shooting guard Keon Johnson of Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.
Kennedy Chandler