Rick Barnes comments on signing of Cal transfer Dai Dai Ames
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Rick Barnes hasn’t had the easiest past couple of weeks, after Tennessee was blown out by Michigan to once again fall short of the Final Four, a stinging defeat that was followed by a slew of departures via the transfer portal.
Barnes has led Tennessee to 3 straight Elite Eight appearances, with no Final Four trips to show for it, and then came the onslaught of exits when the portal officially opened for business on April 7. But amid the torment and disappointment, there was a breath of fresh air in Knoxville, and it came from the West Coast.
Last Saturday afternoon, talented California transfer Dai Dai Ames committed to Tennessee, bringing a dynamic scorer to the Volunteers’ backcourt for the 2026-27 season. On Wednesday, Barnes officially welcomed the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Chicago product to Knoxville, announcing the signing and singing Ames’ praises while he was at it.
Here is what Barnes had to say about Ames, who will be a senior come next season with 1 year of eligibility left:
We are excited to welcome Dai Dai and his family to the Tennessee basketball program. He is an extremely competitive and coachable individual who really gels with our culture. Dai Dai can make shots in late-clock situations, which is a skill we were looking for in the portal. He is a crafty lefty with a strong frame who can finish at the rim through contact, as well as a superb movement shooter and an elite mid-range scorer. All of that makes him a great fit for our system. Dai Dai really wants to be part of a winning team and contend for championships.
Ames was a third-team All-ACC selection last season at Cal, blossoming into 1 of the premier guards in college basketball during his junior season. He averaged 16.9 points, 2.2 assists and 2.0 rebounds while playing 31.8 minutes per game for the Bears in 2025-26. Ames was also extremely durable, starting all 34 games this past season for Cal.
Before his 1 season at Cal, Ames spent the 2024-25 season at Virginia and the 2023-24 campaign at Kansas State, so he’ll be playing with his 4th program in 4 collegiate seasons with his arrival at Tennessee this fall.
Luring Ames to Knoxville gives Tennessee a much better chance to make yet another run at a spot in the Final Four. After 3 straight trips to the Elite Eight, here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the Volunteers’ odds to finally get to the Final Four and win the whole thing in 2027:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
