Pair of Tennessee Volunteers Ink NBA Deals

Former Tennessee basketball players Josiah-Jordan James and Santiago Vescovi inked deals with the NBA.

Tennessee guard Santiago Vescovi (25) takes a shot during an NCAA college basketball game between Tennessee and Kentucky in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, March 9, 2024. / Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY

Former Tennessee basketball players Josiah-Jordan James and Santiago Vescovi inked deals with the NBA.

The Tennessee Volunteers recently just saw Dalton Knecht go in the first round of the NBA draft to the Los Angeles Lakers with the 15th overall pick. Now two more former Volunteers have inked their own NBA deals. Josiah-Jordan James signed with the Indiana Pacers and Santiago Vescovi signed with the Golden State Warriors.

Vescovi will play in the California Classic held in San Francisco from July 6-10, while James will play in the Las Vegas Summer League held from July 12-22.

Last season, James averaged 8.4 points, 1.4 steals and 6.4 rebounds per game and shot 40% from the field. Vescovi averaged 6.3 points, 1.1 steals, 2.5 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game and shot 37% from the field. It was actually a down year for Vescovi as he averaged double digit points during his freshman, junior and senior seasons.

Knecht had a stellar lone season on Rocky Top, leading the Volunteers to their second Elite 8 appearance in program history. He earned first-team All-American honors to go along with his SEC Player of the Year Award; Knecht averaged 21.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He was one of the top shooters in the country, attempting 6.5 threes per game and shooting 39.7%.

He also made big waves during the NCAA Tournament, averaging 26 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in four postseason games. Tennessee lost to the Purdue Boilermakers in the Elite 8, ending one of the most magical runs in program history that should propel the Vols into an even higher territory in the coming years.

Other Tennessee News:

• Tony Vitello Turnaround Nothing Short of Brilliant for Tennessee Baseball
• Jaylen Williams Cuts Recruitment to Four Schools
• Tennessee Vols Football Could Make Playoff According to CFB Data Model

Join the Community:

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @VolunteerCountry & follow us on Twitter at @VCountryFN.