It’s official.
Darlinstone Dubar, Tennessee’s first commitment this offseason out of the transfer portal, has officially signed with the Volunteers this morning. The former Hofstra guard quickly chose Tennessee after his official visit last weekend.
Head coach Rick Barnes hopes that the 6-foot-8 Dubar can help replace some of the production vacated by Dalton Knecht, who is set to move on to the NBA after his eligibility expired. Those are some big shoes to fill, and it likely will take multiple scorers out of the transfer portal to get that job done. However, Dubar is a nice start.
At Hofstra last season, Dubar put up 17.8 points per game. This coming while shooting an impressive 39.9 percent from three-point range.
“We are pleased to welcome Darlinstone and his supportive family into the Tennessee basketball program,” Barnes said via release. “He is already an accomplished collegian who will add a lot to our team. Darlinstone is a true competitor and you know what you will get from him every day. A versatile player who can excel at multiple positions, he is an excellent 3-point shooter who can also knock down midrange shots and finish at the rim. Darlinstone brings toughness and a strong work ethic, both of which will mesh well with the players already in our locker room.”
The Charlotte, North Carolina native added 6.8 rebounds per game, along with 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks. He scored in double figures in nearly every single one of Hofstra’s matchups last season, while going for 30+ points twice. Dubar scored 24 points at Duke last season on 7-11 three-point shooting.
Dubar will slide into the role of Josiah-Jordan James or Dalton Knecht, very likely along with another transfer. Tennessee is pursuing Belmont transfer Cade Tyson and Charlotte transfer Igor Milicic — both similar types of players in comparison to Dubar. Barnes also has a need to fill in the frontcourt, with both Tobe Awaka and Jonas Aidoo currently in the transfer portal. The window is open for Awaka to return, however.