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Julian Phillips, the last uninvolved five-star recruit in the 2022 class, chooses to play in Tennessee

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Five-star senior Julian Phillips, the last remaining available five-star basketball prospect in the 2022 class, announced his commitment to Tennessee on Thursday.

Phillips chose Volunteers over Auburn, even though the G League Ignite team had emerged as an option late in the process. He had originally committed to LSU in October, but was released from his letter of intent in March after coach Will Wade was fired following an NCAA statement of allegations accusing the program of five Level I violations.

A 6-foot-7 small forward from South Carolina who participated in the Link Year Prep (Missouri), Phillips is ranked No. 13 in the ESPN 100 for 2022 and is Tennessee’s sixth five-star recruit in the last four classes. He plays in as the 6th little forward in the class.

Phillips averaged 19.6 points per game. fight for the Upward Stars at the Adidas Gauntlet circuit last summer and then helped lead the Link Year Prep to the championship match of the Geico Nationals tournament last month. He averaged 15.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in three Geico Nationals matches, including 20 points and six rebounds in a quarter-final victory over Oak Hill Academy (Virginia).

“Phillips is a long and skilled wing with the one-and-done talent that the NBA is in demand,” said Paul Biancardi, ESPN’s National Recruitment Director. “But he will have to raise his talent and work habits to maximize his huge upside. He plays both inside and out effectively. Phillips has been full of potential at a young age. His versatility at both ends and physical measurability make him a desirable recruit. “

Phillips is immediately upgrading Tennessee’s front line and is likely to star in the show soon. Coach Rick Barnes and the Volunteers are expected to return Zakai Zeigler and Santiago Vescovi on the perimeter and versatile Josiah-Jordan James on the wing. Phillips and James should form a forward-looking tandem that is capable of creating matchup issues for most opponents.

They also get back Olivier Nkamhoua, who started 22 games before suffering an ankle injury that ended the season, and starting center Uros Plavsic. Indiana State transfer, Tyreke Key, averaged 17.2 points per game two seasons ago before sitting out last season and will add more shots to the backcourt.

The Volunteers ranked No. 19 in the latest update of ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.