2022 top 15 recruit and top five small forward Julian Phillips has committed to the Tennessee Volunteers. The final uncommitted 2022 five-star recruit was previously committed to the LSU Tigers before the program fired Head Coach Will Wade. Phillips was heavily connected to the Auburn Tigers after he de-committed from the LSU program but ultimately decided to go with Head Coach Rick Barnes and the Tennessee Volunteers. The small forward also considered the G League Ignite program. He ranks as the fourth highest ranked recruit in the modern era to commit to the Tennessee program.
2022 five-star Julian Phillips has committed to Tennessee, a source told @On3Recruits.
Becomes the fourth-highest ranked recruit to choose the Vols in the modern recruiting era.
Story: https://t.co/NpoPxaWDDD pic.twitter.com/VgnCvhG3ra
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) May 12, 2022
Julian Phillips is currently ranked as the 12th recruit and 4th small forward in the recruiting class of 2022. The program only has one other recruit coming in for 2022 and it is four-star point guard BJ Edwards. Indiana State point guard transfer Tyreke Key is also coming into the program this fall with Edwards and Phillips. The incoming five-star will in all likelihood declare and stay in the 2023 NBA Draft.
5?? SF Julian Phillips chooses Rick Barnes and Tennessee#Vols @Vol_Hoops
?Courtesy CBS HQ pic.twitter.com/B72NE7uZfw— Tim Owens (@TimOwensTV) May 12, 2022
The Tennesee Volunteers will look to continue to compete near the top of the SEC next season and this infusion of talent will help. Julian Phillips will immediately make the team better and he could compete for a few SEC awards this upcoming season. LSU and Auburn ended up not being the SEC school he decided to play for, and Head Coach Rick Barnes is okay with that outcome. The Volunteers program is on the rise.
