Tennessee basketball freshman transfer Freddie Dilione V was the first Vol to enter the transfer portal and the first former Vol to find a new home. The freshman combo guard is leaving for State College, Pennsylvania.
Dilione announced his decision to join the Penn State Nittany Lions on Instagram Wednesday morning with no caption other than a lion emoji. The four-star transfer is believed to have been the reason for his transfer to Penn State due to head coach Mike Rose.
“Mike Rose and his staff have been scouting me for a long time since I was at VCU,” Dilione said. “I really enjoyed how they introduced me to their style of play and welcomed me with open arms. I really like being with them. They feel like family, Mike Rhodes is a big-time coach who has proven he can win.''I just want to be with a coach who believes in me and all the players and staff. ”
The 6-foot-5, 180-pound combo guard failed to find a foothold in Tennessee's lineup last season as many veterans returned to Rocky Top for one last shot. Guards Zakai Zeigler, Santiago Vescovi, Dalton Knecht, Jordan Gainey and Jahmay Masyak were above Dillione on the depth chart last season.
Playing just 5.2 minutes in 18 games throughout the 2023-24 season was probably the main factor in Dilione reaching the portal. He has a high ceiling and can be a spark plug for any team offensively. He also has three years of eligibility at Penn State, so he has plenty of time to perfect his game for the next few seasons.
Dilione is the second-highest rated player in Tennessee's 2022 recruiting class and the highest-rated player in Penn State's 2024 recruiting class, along with another four-star transfer and four-star recruit. Joined the star high school center.
Rick Burns and company have been working on a recruiting trail and transfer portal to replace some Vols that lost production due to portals and graduation. The Vols have made one commit through the portal so far, and last week he committed Darlinstone Dubar.