How Rick Barnes finds 'coachable' high school talent for Tennessee basketball

Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes is building a strong roster, with a high school class ranked 18th in USA Today's top 25 team rankings for 2026. The class includes four-star forwards Chris Washington Jr. and Ralph Scott, three-star wing Manny Green, and three-star guard Marquis Clark. Barnes seeks players with 'little ego, low maintenance, and talented' traits, believing they are 'coachable' and 'want to be coached.' Washington, originally committed to Alabama, led Providence Christian Academy to repeat state championships and was named Mr. Basketball. Scott, who played at IMG Academy in Florida, has growing potential according to Barnes. The signees have impressive high school stats, with Green averaging a double-double and Clark breaking a scoring record.