KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – One day before the start of the 2026-27 campaign, University of Tennessee men’s basketball player Juke Harris garnered his sixth preseason accolade.
Harris was one of 50 players chosen for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Player of the Year Trophy Watch List, as announced Monday afternoon.
There are 14 SEC competitors on the list, as Harris joins Alabama’s Amari Allen, Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu, Florida’s Alex Condon, Missouri’s Jason Crowe Jr., Texas A&M’s P.J. Haggerty, Florida’s Thomas Haugh, Alabama’s Aden Holloway, Kentucky’s Milan Momcilovic, Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford, Texas’ David Punch, Arkansas’ Jordan Smith Jr., Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner and Texas’ Matas Vokietaitis.
A junior guard who hails from Salisbury, N.C., Harris was also selected to the NABC Player of the Year Preseason Watch List. Harris was tabbed a Blue Ribbon Yearbook Preseason Third Team All-American, as well as a Preseason First Team All-SEC designee by the media and a Preseason Second Team All-SEC honoree by the coaches. He also made the Julius Erving Award Top 20 Preseason Watch List.
Harris is in this first year at Tennessee after spending two seasons at Wake Forest. He was a Second Team All-ACC choice and the ACC Most Improved Player in 2025-26.
The 6-foot-7, 205-pounder averaged 21.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals in 35.1 minutes per game during his sophomore campaign. His scoring average put him No. 14 nationally, while his 750 total points ranked sixth.
The only other ACC players this century to average at least 21.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game in a single season are Duke’s Cameron Boozer (2025-26) and Duke’s Zion Williamson (2018-19). Both won national player of the year.
Harris and the Volunteers start regular season competition Tuesday at 6 p.m. when they square off with Wofford, live on SEC Network from Food City Center.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
