Kim Caldwell has been the Lady Vols basketball coach for only one month but has not wasted time putting together her roster for next season through the transfer portal. Caldwell has kept her players home while filling holes in the roster through portal additions.
Tess Darby and Jewel Spear are both returning, and they combined for 18.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game last season. Caldwell has signed Syracuse transfer forward Alyssa Latham in the transfer portal, who averaged 8.6 points per game, 7.0 rebounds per game, and 1.3 blocks per game last season as a freshman.
Miami transfer forward Lazaria Spearman joins Latham, coming off a season where she led Miami in rebounding with 6.0 rebounds and 6.3 points per game. She also shot 50% from the field and will be an immediate playmaker for the Lady Vols as a junior.
Caldwell added a guard to her transfer portal class, signing Samara Spencer from Arkansas. As a junior, Spencer averaged 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. Spencer shared her commitment on Twitter/X, saying it’s “never personal just business.”
This is the third addition out of the portal for the Lady Vols as Caldwell prepares for a competitive first year as head coach at Rocky Top. With the addition of Spencer, Tennessee should have plenty of shooters on the court next season.
Caldwell is known for playing a fast and fun brand of basketball and plans to bring that same gameplay to Knoxville. Caldwell’s up-tempo, explosive brand of basketball could set up the Lady Vols to have a fun 2024-25 season if the players mesh on the court.
This will likely be the last movement from Caldwell and the Lady Vols, as it affects the 2024-25 roster. Caldwell has been working hard on the recruiting trail, and I don’t expect that to change, so we will have to see if her momentum in the portal will carry over to high school players throughout the next recruiting cycle.
