A future name to know.
Tennessee basketball is in the mix for another top prospect, this time coming in next year’s 2026 class. Deron Rippey Jr., a five-star point guard prospect, has scheduled several visits this fall as he narrows his schools down. Tennessee is one of those options, and according to Dushawn London, will get Rippey on campus in late October.
NEWS: Deron Rippey Jr., the No. 17 overall prospect in the class of 2026, has locked in several official visits, @247Sports is told.
Rippey is rated as a composite five-star. https://t.co/0Fe0mOWW8Y pic.twitter.com/thq1fveZ8c
— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) July 12, 2025
Kentucky, Miami, North Carolina, Alabama, Texas, Syracuse and Indiana will also get Rippey on campus with his visits slated to begin in August.
The 6-2, 175 pound point guard is out of Blairstown, New Jersey. He’s the top ranked player in the state and the 17th ranked player in the country — a five-star prospect according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He was named the MVP of the Adidas Palmetto Road Championships over the weekend.
Tennessee will have another obvious need at point guard next season with Ja’Kobi Gillespie having just one year of eligibility to use in Knoxville. Rippey, who is known for his speed and two-way ability, could offer Rick Barnes a quick solution.
The Volunteers have remained active on the high school recruiting scene despite the explosion of the transfer portal over the last few seasons. Tennessee brought in five prep prospects in the 2025 cycle, which includes No. 4 overall player Nate Ament. Tennessee does not yet hold a commitment for the 2026 class.
Tennessee will likely be replacing four starters next offseason (Gillespie, Abrams, Ament and Okpara).