The Tennessee Volunteers have landed Howard transfer guard James Daniel, who led the country in scoring during the 2015-16 season in averaging 27.1 points per game.
Daniel only played in two games this past season due to an ankle injury that required surgery.
#vol4life?? pic.twitter.com/t44RmhMnLi
— James Daniel lll (@jayd3__) May 22, 2017
Daniel had nine games with 30 or more points during that memorable 15-16 campaign with the Bison.
Lovell’s Analysis:
Any time you can add a player that averaged 27-plus points at the Division I level, you’ll take it.
Rick Barnes will add a natural scorer that can come in and give immediately give the Vols a big boost on the offensive end of the floor. Tennessee already returns a great sophomore nucleus that includes four of the team’s top seven scorers from a year ago.
Adding Daniel to that nucleus certainly makes the Vols quite intriguing entering the new campaign. I grouped Tennessee in with Arkansas and Ole Miss in my lengthy early SEC hoops observations piece, and that was mainly because I wanted to see how this team replaced a veteran scorer and leader like Robert Hubbs III.
We don’t know if Daniel will be able to fill that void completely just yet, but he does fit the description as an experienced guard with a knack for hitting key baskets.
The Vols came up short in their NCAA Tournament quest last season due to inexperience showing up down the stretch.
With Daniel and the talented sophomore class on the court, Tennessee should give itself a great chance to be marching in March for the first time since a Sweet 16 run in 2014.