Rick Barnes isn't too surprised by Tennessee basketball transfer portal decisions. However, Vols coaches were very surprised when Jonas Aidoo chose to enter the portal in mid-April.
“Yes, because he told everyone he was fine,” Burns said.
Aidoo entered the portal on April 11 after an All-SEC season as a junior with the Vols. The 6-11 forward averaged 11.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He had six double-doubles in conference games. He had 66 blocked shots, ranking third in the SEC.
Jonas Aidoo was one of four Tennessee basketball players to enter the transfer portal
Barnes emphasized that the Vols are trying to stay ahead of potential transfer portal decisions to avoid surprises. He admitted that some decisions may surprise the coaching staff as that is not always possible.
“When that happens, you have to realize that there might be an opportunity to rework the roster and do things a little bit differently. Maybe try to find a way to make it better. No,” Burns said. “But as far as this month goes, it's a different time in the basketball world.”
Aidoo was one of the four Vols who entered the portal. Forward Toby Awaka and guards Freddie Dilione V and DJ Jefferson all entered the portal before Aidoo.
When asked specifically about the up-and-coming junior forward on Thursday, Burns indicated Tennessee would welcome Awaka back. Awaka averaged 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 13.1 minutes per game last season.
Jonas Aidoo earned All-SEC honors as a junior.
Aidoo broke into the starting lineup as a junior and earned All-SEC honors and All-SEC Defensive Team honors. His first two years were spent as a role player behind veterans such as Olivier Nkamua and Uros Plavsic.
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The Durham, North Carolina, native played 18.3 minutes per game as a sophomore. He showed off his defensive ability that season.
Aidoo's freshman season got off to a slow start as he battled an illness before the season. He joined the playing group after Nkamua suffered a season-ending injury in February 2022. He played 7.8 minutes per game in 19 games as a freshman.
Mike Wilson covers the University of Tennessee athletics department. Email michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow us on Twitter @.Posted by Mike Wilson. If you like Mike's coverage, consider subscribing to him digitally for full access.