Top Tennessee Basketball Recruit Announces Commitment Date

Four-star forward Chris Washington Jr. will reveal his college choice on Thursday.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 11:09pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the silhouette of a basketball player in motion, broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of navy, green, and orange, conceptually representing the anticipation and uncertainty around a high-profile college recruitment decision.A cubist interpretation of a top basketball recruit's college commitment announcement.Murfreesboro Today

Four-star forward Chris Washington Jr., the top-ranked player in Tennessee, will announce his college commitment on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. ET. The 6-foot-9, 195-pound wing is choosing between Auburn, Ole Miss, Southern Cal, Tennessee, and USC.

Why it matters

Landing Washington would be a major recruiting win for the Tennessee Volunteers, who are looking to reload their roster after losing several key players to graduation and the transfer portal. As the top in-state prospect, securing his commitment would be a significant boost for the program.

The details

Washington, a Murfreesboro native who stars at Providence Christian Academy, was originally scheduled to visit Tennessee in early February before weather issues pushed the trip back. He has yet to take an official visit to Knoxville, but the Vols are considered to be in a strong position ahead of his announcement. Washington ranks as the No. 43 player in the country and the No. 16 small forward in the 2026 recruiting class.

  • Washington will announce his college decision on Thursday, April 17, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
  • He was originally scheduled to visit Tennessee in early February but the trip was postponed due to inclement weather.

The players

Chris Washington Jr.

A four-star forward and the top-ranked player in the state of Tennessee in the 2026 recruiting class. The 6-foot-9, 195-pound wing is considering offers from Auburn, Ole Miss, Southern Cal, Tennessee, and USC.

Tennessee Volunteers

The men's basketball program at the University of Tennessee, which is looking to add top talent like Washington to its roster after losing several key players to graduation and the transfer portal.

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What’s next

Washington's announcement on Thursday will be a key moment for the Tennessee basketball program as they look to secure a commitment from the top in-state prospect in the 2026 class.

The takeaway

Chris Washington Jr.'s college commitment will be a closely watched decision, as the four-star forward is the top-ranked player in Tennessee and could provide a major boost to whichever program he chooses to join.