Volquest’s Rob Lewis first revealed on Thursday night that Tennessee guard Freddie Dilione, who spent two seasons in Knoxville, intends to use the transfer portal.
Before committing to Tennessee early in January 2023, Dilione was a member of the Vols’ 2023 recruiting class. Redshirting his freshman year while practicing with the team and acclimating to Tennessee’s system and collegiate basketball, Dilione joined Tennessee in the middle of the season.
Expectations were high for the 6-foot-5, 180-pound guard going into his redshirt freshman season, but he never quite found a reliable role. With an average of 1.7 points, 0.8 assists, and 0.6 rebounds per game, Dilione participated in 18 out of 36 games.
Throughout the season, Dilione’s function fluctuated. His role dwindled toward the end of the pre-conference slate and the start of conference play, but Rick Barnes and Tennessee’s coaching staff gave him opportunities early in non-conference play.
Yet Dilione filled in as Tennessee’s backup point guard in late January and early February, starting five games in a row in place of Zakai Zeigler. Dilione scored two points during the Vols’ rout of Saint Peter’s in the NCAA Tournament, and he also scored three points in the first half of Creighton’s Sweet 16 match.
The former top-50 prospect is undoubtedly one of the best offensive players in the league. He can score in all three zones and has a special impact at the hoop. However, he was never able to settle into a defensive rhythm in a program that values defense above all else.
Dilione is another offensive player that dominates the ball, but he hasn’t shown that he can score points when the ball isn’t in his hands. Due to this, it was challenging for him to play alongside Zakai Zeigler, and when Zeigler returned for his senior season, Dilione struggled to carve out a distinct role.
This offseason, the combo guard is the first Tennessee player to access the transfer portal. Now that Dilione is gone, the Vols will have three available scholarships to work with during the offseason.
