Huntley-Hatfield commits to Vols, reclassifies

Five-star forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield has committed to Tennessee and will reclassify into 2021, allowing him to play basketball for the Volunteers next season.

Huntley-Hatfield had a final six that also included Ole Miss, Syracuse, Wake Forest, Auburn and Kansas, but Tennessee had most of the momentum over the past few weeks, and Rick Barnes and the Volunteers secured his commitment on Thursday.

“Coach Barnes has coached and helped mold one of the best players to ever walk the earth, Kevin Durant,” Huntley-Hatfield told ESPN. “I am looking for him to do the same exact thing or, if not, something similar with me. I feel like with his knowledge coupled with my skills, we can have something beautiful. I’m just super excited to get to work with him, the staff and my teammates.”

Huntley-Hatfield had long been considered a candidate to reclassify from the 2022 class and graduate high school this spring.

“After discussing it with my family, we felt reclassifying to 2021 would give me the opportunity to better prepare myself as a student-athlete as well as a person,” Huntley-Hatfield said. “I also want to get a head start in the college process and begin training to have a monster freshman season.”

A 6-foot-9 forward from Tennessee who attended Scotland Campus Prep (Pennsylvania), Huntley-Hatfield will move to No. 19 in the ESPN 100 for 2021.

Huntley-Hatfield has an ideal frame for a power forward, with strength, balance and length. He possesses natural scoring instincts from anywhere on the court. He is truly versatile, as he can be successful in the post or effective with his face-up game as a shooter or driver. As a screener, Huntley-Hatfield will open the floor for his jumper or roll to finish with power and body control. If he applies himself, he has the ability to be a productive rebounder, both above the rim and outside his area.

Barnes now has a 2021 recruiting class with two five-star prospects and four ESPN 100 recruits. Huntley-Hatfield joins top-ranked point guard Kennedy Chandler; four-star center Jonas Aidoo, who committed on Wednesday; four-star shooting guard Jahmai Mashack; and three-star guard Quentin Diboundje Eyobo.

The Volunteers have landed five five-star recruits in the last three recruiting classes.

Tennessee started two seniors last season in Yves Pons and John Fulkerson, while starting guards Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson are both projected first-round picks. But with the incoming recruiting class and the addition of Auburn transfer Justin Powell, the Volunteers should be a factor in the SEC once again.