Seven VFLs on NBA inaugural rosters

The NBA celebrates its 79th anniversary on Tuesday and seven former University of Tennessee standouts are on the league’s active rosters.

The VFLs in the NBA this season include: Tobias Harris (Detroit Pistons), Keon Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Dalton Knecht (Los Angeles Lakers), Julian Phillips (Chicago Bulls), Josh Richardson (Miami Heat), Jaden Springer (Boston Celtics) and Grant Williams (Charlotte Hornets).

Tennessee has 55 NBA Draft selections, including eight since 2019.

The newest member of this group is Knecht, who was drafted by the Lakers at No. 17 in June 2024, becoming the most drafted Volunteer since Marcus Haislip at No. 13 in 2002. Knecht is the 10th top-20 pick in Tennessee history and the first since Tobias Harris went 19th in 2011.

During his only season at Tennessee as a fifth-year guard, Knecht led the SEC in scoring with 21.7 points per game, eighth-best in the country. The SEC Player of the Year and Associated Press National Player of the Year runner-up averaged 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per outing while shooting 45.8 percent overall, 39.7 percent from beyond the arc and 77.2 percent the line shot.

On Thursday night, Knecht scored 35 points – including 20 consecutive Laker points in the fourth quarter and overtime – and seven rebounds on 8 of 13 shooting from 3-point range to lead Los Angeles to a preseason win at Phoenix.

Harris, entering his 14th professional season, is in his second stint with Detroit after playing with the organization for three seasons (2016-18). In the 2023-24 regular season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Harris appeared in and started 70 games. He averaged 17.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.7 blocks on 48.7 percent shooting from the field and a clip of 35.3 percent from 3-4 games . Point area. He scored more than 20 points 27 times, including more than 30 points four times.

Johnson, a fourth-year pro who played at Tennessee during the 2020-21 season, has appeared in 82 career games (12 starts) for the Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers. He averaged 5.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 14.3 minutes per game while shooting 36.3 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from 3-point range has.

Phillips, who started his second season in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls, played 40 games as a rookie in 2023-24 and averaged 2.2 points and 0.9 rebounds in 8.1 minutes per game. He shot 41.6 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from distance. On January 28 in Portland, Phillips tied his career high with 11 points and two rebounds. On January 2, he recorded a career-high three blocks in Philadelphia.

Richardson, now in his 10th professional season, is in his second stint with Miami after being drafted by the franchise in 2015 and spending his first four NBA seasons there. He is coming off an injury-shortened 2023-24 season in which he averaged 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while connecting on 44.4 percent of his attempts from the field.

Springer, in his fourth year in the NBA and his first full season with the defending champion Boston Celtics, saw action in 49 games last year – 32 as a member of the 76ers and 17 with Boston. With the 28th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Springer averaged 3.3 points per game in the 2023-24 season and was on his way to securing an NBA title as a reserve player with the Celtics.

Williams, a league veteran entering his sixth professional basketball season, will play for his hometown Charlotte Hornets in 2024-25 after being traded at the deadline last season. Williams was originally drafted by the Boston Celtics with the No. 22 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and averaged a career-high 10.3 points per game during the 2023-24 season, split between the Mavericks (47 games) and Hornets (29 games).

OPENING PLAN

Tuesday, October 22nd
Knicks at Celtics (Springer) – 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Timberwolves at Lakers (Knecht) – 10 p.m. ET (TNT)

Wednesday, October 23rd
Pacers at Pistons (Harris) – 7 p.m. ET
Nets (Johnson) at Hawks – 7:30 p.m. ET
Magic at Heat (Richardson) – 7:30 p.m. ET
Hornets (Williams) at Rockets – 8 p.m. ET
Bulls (Phillips) at Pelicans – 8:00 p.m. ET