LEAD STORY: Tennessee Zeroes In on Jalen Washington
Tennessee's last open roster spot may finally have a name attached to it. Jalen Washington, a 6-10, 245-pound power forward who played last season at Vanderbilt, has been connected to the Volunteers by On3, with Joe Tipton reporting that Tennessee is the "clear frontrunner" for the veteran big man.
Washington's availability hinges on a court ruling that landed Friday, when he was granted a temporary injunction for a fifth season of eligibility. He spent his first three seasons at North Carolina before transferring to Vanderbilt, where he averaged 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Tennessee fans already have a recent reference point: Washington posted seven points, seven rebounds and three blocks in Vanderbilt's SEC Tournament win over the Volunteers in March. While his case worked through the courts, Washington kept playing, appearing in two NBA Summer League games for the Chicago Bulls at a little over five minutes apiece.
The fit is straightforward. Even after an aggressive transfer haul, Tennessee's frontcourt is the thinnest part of the roster. DeWayne Brown returns and will be joined by Miles Rubin, Christian Fermin and Braeden Lue, with do-it-all wing Jalen Haralson expected to absorb minutes at the 4. Washington would give Tennessee a proven SEC-tested body at the five and push an already deep roster toward the top tier nationally. Indications are the decision could come quickly.
QUICK HITS
La Familia falls in the TBT title game. The Kentucky alumni squad dropped a 67-59 decision to Davis Steel in The Basketball Tournament's winner-take-all championship for $2 million at Historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington. The free-throw line decided it: Davis Steel went 15-of-16 from the stripe, La Familia just 18-of-32. Archie Goodwin led La Familia with 19 points but shot 5-of-16 from the floor, while Willie Cauley-Stein was the only starter to hit 50 percent or better, adding 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting with a team-high 13 rebounds. Terry Taylor paced Davis Steel with 24 points, and Davis Steel controlled the glass 48-37, including a 20-13 edge on the offensive boards. La Familia trimmed a 61-47 Elam Ending deficit to 65-59 before Davis Steel hit the target score on a running teardrop.
Kentucky teammate talks up Braydon Hawthorne. Kam Williams offered Big Blue Nation the scouting report it has been waiting for on the redshirt freshman wing: "He brings a lot of different things. He's a great player. He can shoot, dribble, play defense. His wingspan is crazy; he can block shots." Hawthorne, a 6-foot-8 former four-star prospect, did not play as a freshman. Williams also pointed to a confidence jump, noting Hawthorne now "[takes] the initiative to be the first one to show everybody how this drill is."
Arch Manning lands on CBS Sports' most elusive QB list. A statistical deep dive from CBS Sports ranked college football's 10 toughest quarterbacks to bring down in the FBS, with Texas' Arch Manning and Sam Leavitt among the signal callers giving defenses fits.
More fifth-year dominoes at Kentucky. Per Cats Pause, linebacker Alex Afari is among the players exploring a fifth-year option — a meaningful boost to the Wildcats' linebacker room if it comes through. On the basketball side, KSR reports Michigan State forward Jaxon Kohler has been rumored as a Kentucky target.
Olympic sports notes. A school-site release highlighted a sophomore, Riebe, finishing runner-up at the 124th Western Amateur Championship, one of amateur golf's toughest tests. Another release confirmed a men's basketball roster is set to compete in the Baha Mar Hoops Summer League in the Bahamas, the kind of offseason exhibition trip that gives new pieces live reps before November.
PORTAL WATCH
No new SEC transfer portal entries or commitments were reported in the last 12 hours. The movement that matters right now is happening in courtrooms rather than the portal — Washington's temporary injunction for a fifth season is the clearest example, and CBS Sports reports that college football GMs and agents are still sorting through the fallout of the broader eligibility frenzy. Expect more veteran names to become available through that channel than through traditional portal windows over the coming weeks.
RECRUITING BUZZ
No new commitments to report Sunday evening. The recruiting-adjacent story to track is roster retention and internal development: Kentucky's Hawthorne is the prime example of a highly rated signee whose redshirt year may pay off in year two, and Williams' comments suggest the staff expects him to be a factor immediately.
GAMES TO WATCH
No games on the SEC schedule Sunday. The last competitive basketball of the summer wrapped in Lexington with the TBT championship, and attention now turns to fall camp as football programs across the league open preseason work in August.
