Tennessee Battles UNC, Michigan for Top Transfer Portal Guard

Vols reportedly secure in-home visit with Wake Forest's Juke Harris, one of the most sought-after players in the transfer market.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 10:07am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a basketball player in motion, with sharp planes of orange, blue, and green overlapping to create a dynamic, abstract composition.A cubist interpretation of a top college basketball transfer target, highlighting the multi-faceted competition for his services.Salisbury Today

The Tennessee Volunteers men's basketball team is aggressively pursuing Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris, a top-3 player in the transfer portal. Harris has already visited Michigan and had an in-home visit with North Carolina, but Tennessee has now secured an in-home visit as they look to add the talented shooting guard to their roster for the 2027 season.

Why it matters

Tennessee is aiming to build a roster capable of making a Final Four run in 2027, and landing a player of Harris' caliber would be a major boost to those aspirations. However, the Vols will have to fend off stiff competition from other blue-blood programs also pursuing the coveted transfer.

The details

Harris is one of the top names in the current transfer cycle, and his recruitment is expected to go down to the wire. Tennessee has reportedly secured an in-home visit with Harris, a positive sign for their chances. However, Harris has already visited Michigan and had an in-home visit with North Carolina, indicating the fierce competition for his services.

  • On Sunday, North Carolina head coach Michael Malone and his staff conducted an in-home visit with Harris in Salisbury, North Carolina.
  • Harris returned from an official visit to Michigan on Saturday, where he attended the team's national championship parade.

The players

Juke Harris

A transfer shooting guard from the Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team, Harris is ranked as the No. 3 overall player in the transfer portal by On3.

Rick Barnes

The head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers men's basketball team, Barnes and his staff have made securing a visit with Harris a priority as they look to build a roster capable of a Final Four run in 2027.

Michael Malone

The new head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team, Malone and his staff conducted an in-home visit with Harris as they look to add the talented transfer to their roster.

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What they’re saying

“Tennessee basketball is on track to be among the elite in NIL spending next season. On3's Pete Nakos on Thursday reported the Vols are one of a handful of teams set to spend $10 million or more in NIL for its roster next season.”

— Grant Ramey, VolQuest writer

“If you're traveling south on I-85 on Sunday, check the car beside you because it might be new North Carolina head coach Michael Malone and members of his coaching staff. They'll be heading to Salisbury, N.C. for an in-home visit with Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris, a source close to the recruitment confirmed to Inside Carolina late Saturday night.”

— Sherell McMillan, Inside Carolina writer

What’s next

The competition for Juke Harris is expected to remain fierce, with Tennessee, North Carolina, and Michigan all vying for his commitment. The Vols will look to capitalize on their in-home visit and NIL resources to try and secure the talented transfer.

The takeaway

Tennessee's aggressive pursuit of Juke Harris underscores their ambition to build a roster capable of making a deep NCAA Tournament run in 2027. However, the Vols will face stiff competition from other blue-blood programs also targeting the coveted transfer, making his recruitment a key storyline to follow in the coming weeks.