Just In: Kennedy Chandler Makes NBA Draft Decision
Vols star point guard Kennedy Chandler has announced on ESPN Tuesday that he plans to enter the 2022 NBA Draft after one year with Tennessee.
Chandler also went to Instagram to make a post commemorating his time with Tennessee, thanking Vol Nation.
Chandler made an instant impact in his freshman season on Rocky Top. The Memphis native started immediately at the point guard position to begin the season and went on to lead the Vols in scoring with 13.9 points per game.
As the season progressed, Chandler excelled defensively to match his offensive firepower.
"I think Kennedy's biggest improvement, since the Texas game, his defense has gotten so much better," Vols head coach Rick Barnes said before the SEC Tournament. "He has become more locked in defensively and because of that he has gotten so much better with it. His preparation, knowing at that spot all eyes are on him, and if you are going to be out front and do the things that we need that position to do it takes a great deal of preparation. Kennedy, since the Texas game, has been a different player too in terms of his defense. I thought the other day, and I told him this yesterday, it was my fault because I thought I kept him out there too long, at the end of the game I felt like he had gotten fatigued a little bit. The fact is, he has improved a lot."
Chandler's improved defense led to the freshman finishing the season second in the SEC with 2.1 steals per game.
In Tennessee's SEC Tournament Championship run, Chandler was named the Tournament MVP for his 14.6 points per game effort in Tampa.
Chandler also grew to become one of Tennessee's best shooters, draining 46.4 percent of his field goals on the year, which was first among UT's guards.
The freshman also bucketed 49 three-pointers at a 38.3 percent clip, which was second best on the team among starters (Santiago Vescovi).
In Chandler's final game as a Volunteer, the freshman was one of the lone bright spots for the Vols in their Round of 32 loss to Michigan in the NCAA Tournament. Chandler led the team with 19 points and nine assists, putting the team on his back in Tennessee's battle with the Wolverines.
Despite the loss, Chandler garnered much-deserved praise for his performance from Rick Barnes and Michigan's coach Juwan Howard.
"Kennedy did a great job," Barnes said of Chandler's performance in Indianapolis. "They really didn't have an answer for him with his speed going downhill, and we knew we could get him in some ball screens at times."
"Kennedy is tough. He is an elite player, he's one of the best guards in the country," Howard said of Chandler after Tennessee's loss. Howard also consoled an emotional Chandler on the court of Gainbridge Fieldhouse following Michigan's win.
In recent mock drafts, NBC Sports has the VFL going 16th overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Bleacher Report has Chandler coming in at No. 15 overall to Oklahoma City, SB Nation slots Chandler at No. 26 to the Spurs (via the Celtics), and CBS Sports projects the Memphis native to land in Brooklyn with Kevin Durant and the Nets.
If Chandler were to go to Brooklyn, the VFL would also become teammates with Kyrie Irving, an NBA star that ETSU head coach and former UT assistant coach Desmond Oliver compared to Chandler.
“He reminds me of a young Kyrie Irving. I felt like his matchup, there was no one on the court that could slow him down," Oliver said of the comparison between Chandler and Irving. "Shot-making, pace of play, hang time in the lane, taking contact.”
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