Newcomer Profile: Justin Powell
Background: Justin Powell, the Louisville, KY native, transferred to the University of Tennessee in early April. After just one year with Auburn, Powell entered the NCAA Transfer ortal on March 9. The 6’6” shooting guard was UT’s lone roster addition out of the NCAA Transfer Portal and is also the only member of Tennessee’s six-man recruiting class to actually enroll in school at UTK. The 2020 four-star prospect averaged 11.7 points, 4.7 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game in his injury-marred freshman season with the Tigers. Powell only has ten games under his belt, as he suffered a concussion in a contest with Texas A&M on January 2nd that brought his freshman campaign to an end. After being heavily recruited out of Oldham High School in Goshen, KY, by the Vols, Powell will now get the chance to shine under Rick Barnes with a squad that has a lot of potential in Knoxville.
Fit: Powell’s versatility allows him to be able to play as a shooting guard or a point guard. His height gives him the advantage to shoot over smaller guards, and his length will bother opposing shooters. Powell is also agile enough to keep up with the driving guards, an impressive aspect of his game as he is not the smallest player at just over 200 pounds. Barnes focuses on defense, but Powell’s dead-eye shooting ability from beyond the arc allows him to score in a variety of ways, as he shot .442 from three and .429 overall. Powell can play the big man role as well, as he had 8 rebounds in two games during his freshman year. Powell’s versatility and sky-high upside will make him a great fit under Rick Barnes and alongside Tennessee’s studly 2021 recruiting class.
Impact: Powell was one of the best freshmen in the country before his concussion, and his ability to be an all-around terrific player for the Vols makes this a great addition. Tennessee’s downfall against Oregon State in the 2021 March Madness round of 64 was their shooting percentage, especially from the three-point range. Powell will be the scorer that the Vols need, and his style of play will fill the hole that Jaden Springer left behind, while also helping freshman Jonas Aidoo down low.
