BJ Edwards – Syndication Server

Vols’ freshman guard enters NCAA transfer portal

Tennessee freshman basketball guard enters the NCAA transfer portal.

Tennessee freshman guard BJ Edwards entered the NCAA transfer portal Friday, according to On3.

Edwards appeared in 14 games for the Vols during the 2022-23 season. He averaged 4.3 minutes, 1.2 points, 0.6 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game at Tennessee.

Edwards made his collegiate debut in Tennessee’s season-opening win versus Tennessee Tech on Nov. 7, 2022, scoring five points and recording one block.

The 6-foot-3, 188-pound guard played a season-high 10 minutes, 25 seconds versus South Carolina on Feb. 25, 2023. He recorded two points and two assists versus the Gamecocks.

Edwards came to the Vols from Catholic High School in Knoxville, Tennessee.

PHOTOS: A look at Rick Barnes through the years

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Rick Barnes discusses Tennessee’s options at point guard

Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes discusses the Vols’ options at point guard.

Tennessee tips-off preseason practice Tuesday, beginning its defense of a 2022 Southeastern Conference championship.

The Vols (27-8) won the SEC Tournament championship last season for the first time since 1979.

Tennessee is replacing starting point guard Kennedy Chandler in 2022-23.

Santiago Vesovi returns to the Vols’ backcourt for his senior season, along with sophomore Zakai Zeigler.

“Zakai came in late and he was late getting into school,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said Monday at his annual golf tournament at Knoxville’s Holston Hills Country Club. “We had a plan to redshirt him, but after three days of practice, I knew we couldn’t redshirt him.”

Zeigler, a Brooklyn, New York native, became a fan favorite with his brand of play. He will play point guard, along with Vescovi and incoming freshman B.J. Edwards. Edwards is a local product from Catholic High School in Knoxville. Indiana State transfer Tyreke Key will also see time at the position.

Barnes mentioned Zeigler does not want to be a starter.

“To be quite frank, Zakai doesn’t want to start,” Barnes said. “He feels like he can impact the game coming off (the bench), which I think has been good for our team.

“Every coach should have a player like Zakai Zeigler. He would start if we asked him to, but he likes to watch and then come off the bench and into the game.”

Edwards and Key have impressed Barnes during the offseason. Vescovi played point guard for the Vols before Chandler arrived last season.

“Santi has obviously played there, but with Tyreke Key and B.J. Edwards, those guys got a lot of reps at the point this year,” Barnes continued. “It will be point guard by committee.”

The Rick Barnes Emerald Youth Golf Classic presented by UT Medical Center benefits the Emerald Youth Foundation, a youth ministry in Knoxville.

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Vols’ signee advances to Tennessee state championship game

A Vols’ basketball signee advances to the Tennessee state championship game.

Tennessee signee BJ Edwards led Knoxville Catholic High School to a 63-55 victory against Brentwood Academy in the TSSAA Division II-AA basketball semifinals Thursday.

He played with an injured foot. Edwards recorded 23 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks.

Edwards is a Mr. Basketball finalist and senior point guard.

Knoxville Catholic (28-3) will play Christian Brothers School (27-0) in the state championship game Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. EST at Tennessee Tech.

Knoxville Catholic junior guard and Tennessee target Blue Cain scored 16 points.

Follow us at @VolsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of University of Tennessee athletics. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

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Tennessee signee scores 32 points

Tennessee signee scores 32 points Friday.

Tennessee signee BJ Edwards scored 32 points for Knoxville Catholic High School (Knoxville, Tennessee) Friday.

Knoxville Catholic defeated McCallie School, 62-51.

Edwards, scored 16 points after halftime. Knoxville Catholic trailed the Blue Tornado, 30-24, at halftime.

2023 Tennessee recruiting target Blue Cain scored 16 points for Knoxville Catholic.

Cain, who also has an offer from Syracuse, had nine points after halftime.

Edwards and Cain also led the Irish to an 80-54 victory over Knoxville Christian Tuesday.

Edwards had 13 points and nine rebounds against the Knights. Cain totaled 22 points and 12 rebounds.

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Tennessee recruits record scoring milestones

Tennessee basketball recruits record scoring milestones.

Two Tennessee basketball recruits for Knoxville Catholic High School (Knoxville, Tennessee) reached career milestones Saturday in its 73-45 win against Cookeville.

Point guard and Tennessee signee BJ Edwards scored his 2,000th career point.

Edwards recorded a triple-double, finishing with 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

2023 guard and Tennessee target Blue Cain scored his 1,000th career point. He finished the game with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Cain has offers from Tennessee, East Tennessee State, Howard, Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Syracuse.

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BJ Edwards nominated for McDonald’s All-America Team

Tennessee signee BJ Edwards nominated for McDonald’s All-America Team.

Tennessee basketball point guard signee BJ Edwards has been nominated for the McDonald’s Allstate America Team for the southeast region.

He is from Knoxville Catholic High School in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Edwards is a three-time Mr. Basketball finalist and Knoxville Catholic to the 2019-2020 TSSAA Division II-AA state championship. He was named the state tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Edwards scored 14 points in the 2019-20 state championship game against Briarcrest Christian School, which featured current Volunteers’ guard Kennedy Chandler and Vol football player, Omari Thomas.

Follow us at @VolsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of University of Tennessee athletics.

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BJ Edwards commits to Tennessee

BJ Edwards commits to Tennessee.

The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team and head coach Rick Barnes picked up a commitment from one of Knoxville’s top high school seniors Thursday.

Knoxville Catholic High School point guard BJ Edwards announced his commitment to the Volunteers at a ceremony in the Fighting Irish’s gymnasium Thursday afternoon.

The 6-foot-4 Edwards is a three-year starter for Knoxville Catholic. He was the 2021 Division II-AA Mr. Basketball award winner after leading Knoxville Catholic to the state semifinals last season.

Edwards also helped the Fighting Irish win the 2020 state championship before COVID-19 forced schools, sports and other activities to be suspended. He was the state tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Edwards is a two-time all-state performer and averaged 19.9 points, seven rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.4 assists per game during his junior campaign.

He also had offers from Florida, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Georgia, among others.

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BJ Edwards leads Knoxville Catholic to state tournament

UT basketball recruiting target leads Knoxville Catholic to Division II State Tournament in Cookeville.

A Tennessee men’s basketball recruiting target led his team to this week’s Division II-A State Tournament.

Knoxville Catholic High School junior point guard BJ Edwards scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half of the Fighting Irish’s 45-36 victory over Chattanooga McCallie. The contest was a state quarterfinal Saturday afternoon at KCHS.

The Fighting Irish (21-3) overcame an early 10-4 deficit to outlast the Blue Tornado (12-7) and earn a trip to the Division II-AA Final Four.

Knoxville Catholic will open tournament play against Montgomery Bell Academy Friday (5 p.m. EST) at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville.

The Irish will enter the tournament as defending state champions as they claimed their first-ever state title in March before the COVID-19 pandemic ended all high school sports in Tennessee.

Edwards was named Most Valuable Player of the state tournament in 2020.

He holds multiple NCAA Division I scholarships and is a two-time Mr. Basketball Finalist.

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