The NBA tips off its 79th year Tuesday and seven former University of Tennessee standouts are on active rosters around the league.
VFLs in the NBA this season include Tobias Harris (Detroit Pistons), Keon Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Dalton Knecht (Los Angeles Lakers), Julian Phillips (Chicago Bulls), Josh Richardson (Miami Heat), Jaden Springer (Boston Celtics) and Grant Williams (Charlotte Hornets).
All-time, Tennessee boasts 55 NBA Draft selections, including eight since 2019.
The newest member of that group is Knecht, who was drafted by the Lakers in June 2024 at pick No. 17, becoming the highest-drafted Volunteer since Marcus Haislip went No. 13 in 2002. Knecht is the 10th top-20 pick in Tennessee history and the first since Tobias Harris went No. 19 in 2011.
During his lone season at Tennessee as a fifth-year guard, Knecht led the SEC in scoring at 21.7 points per game, good for eighth-best in the country. The SEC Player of the Year and runner-up for Associated Press National Player of the Year added 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per outing, while shooting 45.8 percent overall, 39.7 percent beyond the arc and 77.2 percent at the line.
On Thursday night, Knecht posted 35 points—including 20 consecutive Laker points in the fourth quarter and overtime—and seven rebounds on 8-of-13 shooting from 3-point range to lead Los Angeles to a preseason victory at Phoenix.
Harris, entering his 14th professional season, is in his second stint with Detroit after playing for the organization in parts of three seasons (2016-18). In the 2023-24 regular season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Harris appeared in and started 70 games, averaging 17.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.7 blocks on 48.7 percent shooting from the field and a 35.3 percent clip from 3-point range. He scored 20-plus points 27 times, with 30-plus points on four occasions.
Johnson a fourth-year pro who played at Tennessee during the 2020-21 campaign, has appeared in 82 career games (12 starts) for the Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers. He has recorded averages of 5.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 14.3 minutes per game, while shooting 36.3 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from 3-point range.
Phillips, embarking on his second season in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls, appeared in 40 games as a rookie in 2023-24 and averaged 2.2 points and 0.9 rebounds in 8.1 minutes per contest. He shot 41.6 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from beyond the arc. On Jan. 28 at Portland, Phillips matched a career-high scoring mark with 11 points, to go along with two rebounds. On Jan. 2, he logged a career-high three blocks at Philadelphia.
Richardson, now in his 10th professional season, is in his second stint with Miami after being drafted by the franchise in 2015 and spending his first four NBA seasons there. He is coming off an injury-shortened 2023-24 season in which he recorded averages of 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, while connecting on 44.4 percent of his attempts from the field.
Springer, in his fourth year in the NBA and first full season with the reigning champion Boston Celtics, saw action in 49 games last year—32 as a member of the 76ers and 17 with Boston. Taken with the 28th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Springer averaged 3.3 points per game in 2023-24, en route to earning an NBA title in a reserve role with the Celtics.
Williams, a league veteran entering his sixth season of professional basketball, is set to suit up for his hometown Charlotte Hornets in 2024-25, after being traded at the deadline last season. Originally drafted by the Boston Celtics with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Williams logged a career-high 10.3 points per game in 2023-24, split between the Mavericks (47 games) and the Hornets (29 games).
OPENING DAYS SCHEDULE
Tuesday, Oct. 22
Knicks at Celtics (Springer) – 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Timberwolves at Lakers (Knecht) – 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Wednesday, Oct. 23
Pacers at Pistons (Harris) – 7 p.m. ET
Nets (Johnson) at Hawks – 7:30 p.m. ET
Magic at Heat (Richardson) – 7:30 p.m. ET
Hornets (Williams) at Rockets – 8 p.m. ET
Bulls (Phillips) at Pelicans – 8 p.m. ET
