Tennessee basketball lost out on one of its 2027 recruiting targets Friday when four-star shooting guard Justin Wise chose Georgia.
Wise had trimmed his list to six schools earlier this summer - Clemson, Georgia, Miami, Tennessee, Texas and Vanderbilt - before announcing his commitment to the Bulldogs. The 6-foot-4 guard had been lined up for an official visit to Tennessee on Sept. 19, though that trip now appears unlikely to happen.
NEWS: Justin Wise, the No. 30 overall recruit in the 2027 class, has committed to Georgia, he told @Rivals. ⁰⁰The 6-4 shooting guard picked the hometown Bulldogs after considering offers from Texas, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Miami, and Clemson. https://t.co/VHyxyWhA8a pic.twitter.com/44dhudcIEp
- Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) August 7, 2026
The rankings on Wise vary a bit depending on the service, but everyone sees him as a high-end prospect. 247sports lists him as the No. 63 player in the 2027 class, the No. 5 shooting guard nationally and the No. 8 player in Georgia. Rivals has him even higher, slotting him at No. 30 overall, No. 4 among shooting guards and No. 4 in the state of Georgia.
Wise plays at North Oconee High School, where he helped the Titans go 26-4 during his junior season. At 6-foot-4 and 175 pounds, he brings size to the shooting guard spot and has been one of the more closely watched names in Georgia’s 2027 group.
Tennessee still has time to build its class. The Vols have not landed a commitment in 2027 yet, but they do have three other official visits on the calendar this fall. Four-star center Chris Brown is set to visit on Sept. 19, while five-star wing Malachi Jordan and three-star forward Davis Cochran are both scheduled to be in Knoxville on Sept. 26, the same weekend Tennessee opens SEC play against Texas.
Even with no 2027 commitments in hand, Tennessee should have room to work with. The Vols have just two players on the roster for the upcoming season who are definitively out of eligibility, which means at least two scholarships are available. That number could grow if potential NBA Draft prospects or other players decide to enter the transfer portal.
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