Wednesday was a bit of a roster management day for the Tennessee men's basketball team.
Keon Johnson, a projected lottery pick in July's NBA draft, did the expected by announcing he would bypass his remaining eligibility with the Volunteers and sign with an agent. The 6-foot-5, 186-pound Johnson was a Southeastern Conference All-Freshman selection and was recently named the No. 6 draft prospect by ESPN.
"The NBA has always been my goal, but I never expected it to come this soon," Johnson told ESPN. "I really don't care what number I get drafted at. I just want to go somewhere I fit in that organization - where I can keep developing and find my niche."
Committing to the Vols was Quentin Diboundji, a 6-6, 185-pound shooting guard. Diboundji is from Montpellier, France, but currently attends Montverde Academy, which is 25 miles northwest of Orlando, Florida.
Johnson played in all 27 games this past season for the 18-9 Vols, making 17 starts. He averaged 11.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, and he also tallied 30 steals and 12 blocks.
"Although my time in Knoxville was short, I loved every minute of it," Johnson posted on Twitter.
Among the memories Johnson produced in his one season was a 27-point outing in the 82-71 win Feb. 6 at Kentucky - when fellow five-star freshman Jaden Springer added 23 - and the electrifying dunk over Georgia's Toumani Camara four days later inside Thompson-Boling Arena.
Springer announced March 29 that he was leaving early for the NBA.
The Vols have gained one player, former Auburn guard Justin Powell, and lost two players, Davonte Gaines and Drew Pember, through the NCAA transfer portal. Pember announced Wednesday that he will continue his career at UNC Asheville.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.