DeWayne Brown II sends message to Tennessee fans, reveals plans for 2026-27
By Ethan Stone
Published:
DeWayne Brown II is staying with the Tennessee Volunteers in 2026-27. The Vols freshman forward penned a letter to Tennessee fans and teammates on Tuesday announcing the news.
This is massive news for Tennessee, especially while the Vols have already lost 6 players to the transfer portal including forwards Cade Phillips, Jaylen Carey and JP Estrella.
Brown showed a lot of potential during Year 1 in Knoxville. He’s a smart player with physicality that can stand up to SEC competition and an efficient scorer at the rim, with enough power to consistently get looks. On top of that, Brown was a solid rebounder for a freshman, collecting just under 4 boards per game across an average of 14.7 minutes per game. He’s a candidate to take a considerable jump in productivity next season, too.
Brown is the first Tennessee player to officially announce that he will be returning in 2026-27. Ethan Burg and Amari Evans have yet to make a decision, while star freshman Nate Ament still has to decide between entering the draft (as is expected) or staying in Knoxville for one more season.
Tennessee has advanced to 3 straight Elite 8s, and the Vols are expected to hit the portal hard in hopes of finally breaking through to a Final Four and beyond next season. The Vols already hold a commitment from Belmont sharpshooter Tyler Lundblade.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
