COLUMBUS, Ohio — Rick Barnes has pulled Jordan Bone apart for plenty a communication in Bone’s three seasons with Tennessee basketball. First, but not lengthy in the past, Bone pulled Barnes apart for a conversation. The Tennessee factor guard had begun receiving some significant national attention for his play this season — and deservedly so. It got here NBA attention, so the Vols junior talked to Barnes, the UT assistant coaches, and his teammates. He had a natural but essential question: “How do I deal with this?”
Tennessee faces Iowa for a gap inside the Sweet 16 on Sunday Mike Wilson, USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee “I’ve never had this attention, man,” Bone said. “I’ve by no means been a guy that has been checked out as an NBA prospect. They’ve helped me with that; they’ve helped me handle it.” Bone put himself on the NBA map with a standout junior season, which has helped lead the No. 2 seed Vols (30-5) to play No. 10 seed Iowa (23-eleven) for a Sweet 16 bid on Sunday (12:10 p.M. ET, CBS).
He is averaging thirteen.5 points and 5.Nine assists for the Vols, who’ve been ranked inside the Top 10 all season and reached No. 1 for a month. He netted 2d-crew All-SEC honors for his play and cemented himself as one of the first-rate point guards inside us of a. All of it introduced approximately foreign feelings. The Nashville native wasn’t notably touted as a recruit. He didn’t come to Tennessee with pomp or circumstance. The superb interest has been a blessing; he started Saturday. 21 Photos Tennessee basketball press convention at NCAA Tournament 1 of 21 Next Slide. “
“I feel just like the secret is truly focusing on what the crew is doing proper now instead of looking in advance,” Bone stated. “You can’t look ahead because that’s while things begin to move badly. Maybe like or three months in the past, that’s when things began to head horrific. I started out gambling otherwise due to the fact I became obtainable considering the incorrect matters. “I’m beyond that. It’s all about the team, man. The crew is the purpose that positive guys have had the amount of achievement and notoriety they’re receiving proper now. It’s the knowledge that we must place the crew first. Everything else goes to take care of itself. I assume that’s the largest factor.” After the season, Bone could have the identical choice dealing with him that Admiral Schofield had a final year — and one Grant Williams may have. He can claim for the NBA Draft and either lease an agent or now not hire an agent.
“I feel just like the key is sincerely focusing on what the team is doing right now instead of looking in advance,” Bone said. “You can’t get appearance beforehand because that’s whilst matters begin to go terrible. Maybe like two or 3 months in the past, that’s whilst matters commenced going awful. I started gambling in another way because I was obtainable, considering the wrong things. “I’m beyond that. It’s all about the team, man. The group is the motive that certain guys have had the amount of achievement and the notoriety that they’re receiving right now. It’s the expertise that we should put the group first. Everything else goes to take care of itself. I assume that’s the biggest factor.” After the season, Bone may have the same choice going through him that Admiral Schofield had a remaining year — and one Grant Williams will have. He can declare for the NBA Draft, and both hire an agent or no longer lease an agent.
If he hires an agent, his profession at Tennessee is over. If he does not, he can go through the NBA Draft method and get remarks before electing to either stay within the draft or return to high school. But the truth that may be communication for Bone has him grateful for the adventure he’s had to date at Tennessee. “I’ve come an extended way,” Bone said. “From a guy that turned into counted out to a guy who has NBA attention. A guy that proper now’s in the NCAA Tournament. I simply got here such a miles path, man. It’s really unbelievable to peer the progression and the way I’ve grown over the years. “How the people that have been at the back of me that have supported me were there. It just method so much.
