Tennessee announces signing of transfer forward Igor Milicic Jr.

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Tennessee Basketball on Thursday morning announced the signing of Charlotte forward Igor Milicic Jr., the third official addition for the Vols out of the NCAA Transfer Portal. Milicic announced his commitment last week, picking Tennessee over Baylor and Nebraska.

“He is a talented player who has received excellent coaching throughout his career,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said in a statement, “both in college and in Europe, including learning from his father, Igor Sr., who is one of the best in the business.

Hofstra wing Darlinstone Dubar committed to and signed with Tennessee in April and Ohio State center Felix Okpara committed and signed on April 25.

Milicic, the 6-foot-10, 225-pound junior took an official visit to Tennessee the weekend of April 13 and was at Baylor last weekend. He previously visited Nebraska. 

He averaged 12.8 points and 8.5 rebounds this season with the 49ers, shooting 48.7% from the field and 37.6% from the 3-point line. He started his career at Virginia before transferring to Charlotte after the 2021-22 season. He entered the transfer portal on March 25.  

“A versatile competitor, Igor has an impressive, unique and polished skill set that we think will translate well to the SEC,” Barnes said. “He is a quality 3-point shooter and superb defensive rebounder with big-time upside.

“Igor possesses invaluable experience on the international level with the Polish National Team and he has improved every year as a collegian. We feel he will fit in well at Tennessee, both on and off the court.”

Tennessee has hosted four visitors from NCAA Transfer Portal

Dubar spent the last three seasons at Hofstra after playing his first season at Iowa State. Dubar averaged a career-high 17.8 points per game in 33 games this season, shooting 53.9% from the floor and 39.9% from the 3-point line. He also averaged 6.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 34.6 minutes per game.

Okpara, the fourth official visitor Tennessee hosted out of the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason, averaged 6.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks this season and averaged 5.3 points and 5.0 rebounds over the last two years.

He started 34 times in 35 games this season, averaging 23.5 minutes per game, after starting 11 times in 34 games as a freshman, averaging 15.5 minutes. Okpara shot 58.6% from the field in his 70 games with the Buckeyes.

Four Vols entered the NCAA Transfer Portal 

Tennessee currently has three open scholarship spots after adding Dubar, Okpara and Milicic. The Vols hosted Dubar and Belmont transfer forward Cade Tyson before Milicic came on his visit. Tyson committed to North Carolina on Sunday.

The Vols lost four players through the NCAA Transfer Portal: Junior center Jonas Aidoo, sophomore forward Tobe Awaka and redshirt freshmen Freddie Dilione and DJ Jefferson.

Tennessee, while adding Dubar, Okpara,…