Kaylene “K.K.” Smikle is already giving Tennessee exactly what Kim Caldwell said this roster was built to value: effort, toughness and a willingness to do the little things. Now the Lady Vols guard has another piece of recognition to go with it.
The 6-foot, fifth-year player from Bay Shore, New York, has been named to the 2027 Cheryl Miller Award watch list by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in partnership with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. The award goes to the nation’s top small forward, and Smikle is positioned to be one of the players the sport notices this season.
Smikle said on media day that her best basketball comes when she keeps things simple.
“I just focus on playing my game, not forcing anything and letting the game come to me,” Smikle told me on media day. “I think that’s when I play my best, being able to play in the flow of the game.”
She backed that up in Tennessee’s 132-63 exhibition win over Florida A&M on Tuesday. Smikle finished with a team-high 19 points, shooting 7 of 15 from the field, 2 of 7 from 3-point range and 3 of 4 at the free-throw line. She also chipped in two offensive rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in just 16 minutes.
At local media day, Caldwell didn’t just talk about Smikle as a scorer. She pointed to the complete impact the guard brings every time she steps on the floor.
“She’s a great player,” Caldwell said. “She finds a way to make things happen.
And she’s more than just her offense. She’s very good on the defensive end of flying around, getting to the ball, getting a deflection, making sure that we get the ball back.
And she is tremendous at 50-50 balls.
“There’s a ball going out of bounds where one player will stop and look because they think the play is dead, she’s going to beat you to it, and she’s going to save it and continue to play. She has a winner mentality.
She has a no-quit mentality. And I didn’t necessarily know that watching her film.
“So, it’s been a great surprise seeing her in practice compete the way she competes. She wants to be coached.
She wants to work hard. She wants to be the best player she can possibly be.”
Smikle and the Lady Vols open the regular season Monday night against Duquesne at Food City Center. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET, and the game will stream on SECN+.
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Entered A Recruiting Battle Vols Fans Will Notice
Tennessee has jumped into the mix for one of the more closely watched running back prospects in the country, as Jayshawn Mitchell trimmed his list to 15 schools and kept the Vols in the hunt after a recent offer. The William J. Brennan High School standout from San Antonio has already built a national recruitment, and Tennessee now finds itself among a group of programs still chasing a player whose production and visits have kept plenty of coaches interested.
For the Vols, Mitchell is another reminder that the running back board remains active even with other top backs already committed. Tennessee continues to push for multiple high-profile targets, and landing a player with Mitchells profile would only add to a class that has already been gaining traction at the position. The next step will be whether the Vols can turn that late entry into real momentum against a crowded field. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Has One More Recruiting Battle Fans Will Be Watching Closely
Tennessees 2027 recruiting class is already taking shape with 19 commitments, and two of the names that stand out from Grayson High School are running back David Gabriel-Georges and defensive back Preston Glasco. Glasco, in particular, looks like the kind of long-term addition coaches keep circling back to - a tall, developmental cornerback with the size to help in run support and enough tools to suggest a higher ceiling down the road.
There is still at least one more battle worth watching closely, though, and it comes with an in-state wrinkle that makes it even more meaningful for the Vols. Tennessee remains in the mix for defensive lineman Joshua Lane, who is expected to choose between the Vols and Alabama, giving the staff another chance to protect home turf while trying to finish strong with a key target. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Fans Have One Big DeSean Bishop Concern Right Now
The Heisman Trophy websites fan-driven Heisman Hopefuls section has given Tennessee supporters another reason to check in on the roster, with seven Volunteers showing up in the top five of their positional groups. Among them, DeSean Bishop has been drawing the most attention, sitting out front among the running backs and adding to the buzz around a team that already has plenty of eyes on it as the season moves forward.
The concern, though, is less about the voting and more about Bishops immediate availability after a recent injury issue. Josh Heupel said the situation is expected to settle in well for the upcoming game, but there is still a wait-and-see element for fans hoping Tennessees backfield remains intact as SEC play continues to pile up. [Read more 🡒]