Photo via Tennessee basketball on Instagram/ @vol_hoops
Tennessee basketball is one of the eight schools remaining in the recruitment of four-star point guard Antonio Pemberton. On Wednesday, the playmaker named the Vols, Michigan State, Kansas, UCLA, Boston College, Creighton, Ohio State and Marquette as his top eight, according to Joe Tipton.
Schools to offer Pemberton but not make the cut were Utah, Alabama, Auburn, Cincinnati, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Rutgers, South Carolina, Washington and more.
Pemberton ranks as the No. 33 prospect in the country in the 2027 class, according to 247. He is the No. 8 point guard in the cycle and No. 1 player from Massachusetts. He is from Hanover, where he plays for The Master’s Academy International.
NEWS: 4⭐️ Antonio Pemberton is down to eight schools, he tells @Rivals.
The 6-1 point guard and top-35 overall recruit in the 2027 breaks down each of his finalists: https://t.co/foZ0xmiFIk pic.twitter.com/5IRYp9ZLyx
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) July 29, 2026
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“Pemberton is a scoring guard and tough shot-maker who averaged 24 points per game in the 3SSB season,” 247 director of scouting Adam Finkelstein wrote this month. “While he also put up 4.3 assists, he plays with a distinct scoring mentality that requires a significant amount of freedom and volume. He lacks ideal size and length, but has nonetheless proven to be one of the only players in high school basketball capable of putting his team on his back and carrying them to wins, as he proved by leading the Mass Rivals to the finals of the 3SSB Summer Championships…”
Pemberton stands at 6-foot-1 and 165 pounds as he gears up for his senior season. Rick Barnes has had plenty of success coaching up point guards who give up a bit of height, as well. Past stars include Zakai Zeigler, Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Kennedy Chandler.
So far, Tennessee does not have any commitments in the 2027 cycle. However, the Vols are filling up a board that features some of the top players in the country. Visits are now being lined up as Barnes and company look to reload after a successful offseason in the portal.