Jaylen Carey has announced his commitment to Tennessee Basketball while decommitting from Michigan State……..

On Sunday night, Tennessee Basketball welcomed Jaylen Carey, a 6-foot-8, 245-pound big man who averaged 8.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in 20.2 minutes per game for the Commodores this season, as their second pledge from the NCAA Transfer Portal.

After Maryland guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie announced his transfer to Tennessee on Friday afternoon, Carey made his pledge through the transfer site. Carey followed head coach Mark Byington to Vanderbilt after beginning his collegiate basketball career at James Madison.

He had 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists before fouling out in Vanderbilt’s loss at Tennessee in February. He recorded 14 points and 10 boards in the Vandy’s win over the Vols in Nashville in January.

Gillespie had been the biggest target for Tennessee in the NCAA Transfer Portal since he entered on Monday. He was visited by Tennessee’s coaching staff on Wednesday. Gillespie started all 36 games at Maryland this season, averaging 14.7 points and 4.8 assists in 31.6 minutes per game while shooting 45.3% from the floor and 40.7% from the 3-point line, where he made 87 of 214 attempts.

He spent his first two seasons of college basketball at Belmont, averaging 12.9 points, 3.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 26.2 minutes per game, starting 32 times in 57 games with the Bruins.

As a sophomore in 2023–24, he started 24 games and averaged 17.2 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.2 steals in 31.4 minutes per game.

Three post guys and one guard are expected to return to Tennessee. Three forwards, sophomores Cade Phillips and JP Estrella, junior Felix Okpara, and guard Bishop Boswell are expected to return to Tennessee’s current lineup.