Former Tennessee center Jonas Aidoo set to visit another SEC school
Former Tennessee Basketball center Jonas Aidoo is set to visit Arkansas and new Razorback head coach John Calipari this weekend, according to On3’s Joe Tipton. He’s coming off a Baylor visit over the weekend and is also being recruited by Kentucky and new head coach Mark Pope as well as North Carolina.
Aidoo is coming off a breakout junior season and was named Second Team All-SEC and made the SEC’s All-Defensive team, but made what Rick Barnes described as a surprising move to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal last week.
“Because he had told everybody he was fine,” Barnes told reporters last week.
Aidoo averaged career-highs with 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 0.7 steals and 25.4 minutes per game. He was fourth in the SEC in rebounding and third in the league in blocked shots.
Four Tennessee players have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal
Aidoo was the fourth Tennessee player to enter the portal, following redshirt freshmen Freddie Dilione V and DJ Jefferson and sophomore forward Tobe Awaka, who had announced his transfer plans the day Aidoo entered the protal.
Aidoo’s regular-season numbers didn’t translate in the postseason. In one game in the SEC Tournament and four in the NCAA Tournament, Aidoo totaled 35 points and 26 rebounds.
He scored 15 points in the win over Saint Peter’s in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and had 11 against Texas in the second round. He had just four points against Creighton in the Sweet 16.
He was scoreless in 10 minutes in the Elite Eight loss to Purdue, going a combined 2-for-12 from the field in the second weekend of the tournament.
Transfer wing Darlinstone Dubar signed with Vols last week
Aidoo’s departure made for six open scholarship spots on Tennessee’s 2024-25. The Vols on Thursday announced the addition of Hofstra wing Darlinstone Dubar, filling the first of the six open spots.
The Vols lost three fifth-year senior in Dalton Knecht, Josiah-Jordan James and Santiago Vescovi and four players from the the current roster left through the NCAA Transfer Portal: Redshirt freshman guard Freddie Dilione V, redshirt freshman wing DJ Jefferson, junior center Aidoo and sophomore forward Tobe Awaka.
The Vols have also hosted Belmont forward Cade Tyson and Charlotte forward Igor Milicic on official visits and were scheduled to begin an official visit with Ohio State center Felix Okpara on Tuesday.
