Sanning: A Consistent Fulkerson is a Good Fulkerson

Tennessee forward John Fulkerson's improvement on offense may be enough to carry the Vols to the big dance, Cory Sanning writes.

John Fulkerson’s career at Tennessee is one of many phases. The most dominant may have gotten underway on Tuesday.

Or maybe it was an aberration, only time will tell.

Fulkerson made the initial trek to Knoxville back in the fall of 2016, a highly-touted recruit out of The Christ School in Arden, North Carolina.

After redshirting his freshman season, Fulkerson had an immediate impact on the Vols despite dealing with a number of injuries that limited him to just nine minutes per game.

The Kingsport, Tennessee native made an even bigger jump the following year, appearing in 36 games while averaging 3.1 points and 2.6 rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench.

Certainly not eye-popping numbers, but effective nonetheless.

Since he was able to consistently contribute, Fulkerson has steadily risen through the ranks as Rick Barnes and his staff continue to aid in fine tuning his skills onthe offensive side of the ball.

That has all come to fruition this season, as Fulkerson has become one the Vols' go-to scorers. 

Averaging 11.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in 28.6 minutes, "the Fulk" is averaging career-highs across the board and has consistently found himself with opportunities to score in the low post. Whether off of offensive rebounds or set plays, he's making the most of his opportunities.

If you're a Tennessee fan, you can't ask for any more than that. 

Fulkerson trails senior guard Jordan Bowden by less than a point on average for Tennessee's top scoring spot. If you asked me a year ago if that would be the case this season, I would have chuckled.

Not because he isn't skilled in the post or is incapable of putting the ball in the basket. His track record before UT would suggest otherwise.

But being on a team that, for two seasons, included All-SEC talent in Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield down low, scoring opportunities were rare for contributors off the bench if you weren't Bowden or Lamonte Turner. 

Because of that, many fans in Knoxville were led astray when it pertained to Fulkerson's scoring ability.

I would be lying if I said I was not among that majority. Obviously, I was wrong.

Not that I claim to always be correct in my premises. Far from it. Fulkerson went from a no-show on the scouting report to Tennessee's most lethal option outside of its hometown kid. 

Opposing coaches respect his energy. Opposing players hate battling against him in the post. He's a bruiser with a motor that knows no limits when it pertains to giving up on a play. It just simply doesn't happen. 

The Vols will need that drive and more today as they travel to Lawrence for a showdown with third-ranked Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. 

Even with Silvio De Sousa and David McCormack unable to participate due to suspensions handed down following the Jayhawks' brawl with Kansas State, Tennessee faces an uphill battle against one of the country's most storied programs. 

Bowden's recent struggles have aided in Fulkerson's rise in the scoring department, but it hasn't been the only contributing factor. 

Fulkerson's individual improvement has been a sight to see. 

Whether he throws up a jump hook or turns for a smooth fadeaway jumper, No. 10 is putting points on the board for consistently, something that Barnes saw from him when he first arrived on campus.

"You obviously don't know your role then," Barnes told Fulkerson after he clamied he wasn't a scorer when the two addressed the media at the Emerald Coast Classic.

Chuckles ensued, but everybody in the room knew that the veteran coach was serious. Turns out, Barnes was right. Fulkerson is a talented scorer that can wreak havoc with his energy on both ends of the floor. 

Moving forward, the Vols can't ask for anything else out of the big man.