Rick Barnes has been a team player this week.
Make that teams.
Tennessee's basketball coach has racked up the frequent flyer miles, taking in Monday night's College World Series win by the Volunteers over Texas A&M in Omaha, Nebraska, that resulted in the school's first national championship in baseball. Two nights later, Barnes was in New York City to accompany Dalton Knecht as the former Vols guard was selected in the NBA draft's opening round.
"My texts finally went over 1,000 with people texting," Barnes told reporters Friday while back inside the Food City Center.
Barnes, who turns 70 next month, watched Tony Vitello's Vols from a Charles Schwab Stadium Omaha suite that also contained Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel, legendary Vols quarterback Peyton Manning and country music singer Morgan Wallen. The 6-5 edging of the Aggies enabled Tennessee to become the first NCAA tournament top overall seed to win the national crown since the 1999 Miami Hurricanes, and the Vols also became the first Southeastern Conference program to win 60 games in a season.
Tennessee's three major men's sports this past school year contained a nine-win Citrus Bowl champion, an NCAA tournament Elite Eight participant and a national champ, with the basketball and baseball teams claiming SEC titles.
"Being there for the national championship game was extremely special," Barnes said. "I had been there one other time, when I was at Texas, and I told (Vols pitching coach) Frank Anderson that we are two-for-two. Frank Anderson was the pitching coach at Texas when I was there and won it that year (2002). When we were getting ready to leave the other night, I saw Frank sitting in the dugout by himself, and it really touched me. I've got so much respect for him, and what Tony has done is really remarkable.
"I keep asking myself about how this has all come together so quickly here. We're on a big wave right now, and I hope we can turn it into a tidal wave."
Barnes attended the draft because Knecht, the SEC player of the year who averaged 21.7 points per game, had asked him. His Wednesday night in the Big Apple lasted longer than expected, as Knecht had been projected as a top-10 pick but slid to the 17th spot before getting selected by the Los Angeles Lakers.
"I told him that every player we ever recruit has a dream about having their name called," Barnes said. "As you know, 99.9% of them don't get that opportunity to have the chance to be in that green room and have their name called, regardless of where it might be. That in itself is a dream come true, and then you add the fact he's going to a really historic franchise.
"Dalton got to Tennessee in a roundabout way in terms of not many people knew about him. I told him, 'You've always kind of had a chip on your shoulder to prove people wrong. You can use this in that way, too.' It's certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Every player wants to be a lottery pick, but sometimes it works out better with who you get drafted by."
After being asked about his traveling adventures, Barnes briefly discussed his 10th Tennessee team. The Vols are coming off a 27-9 season and have six returning scholarship players — Zakai Zeigler, Jordan Gainey, Jahmai Mashack, Cameron Carr, J.P. Estrella and Cameron Carr.
Tennessee has also added freshman Bishop Boswell and four players through the transfer portal — Chaz Lanier (North Florida), Igor Milicic (Charlotte), Darlinstone Dubar (Hofstra) and Felix Okpara (Ohio State).
"The guys who are new are still learning, but they've been great teammates and are really humble," Barnes said. "They want to learn, and they know they've got to pick things up quickly."
Dye commits to Vols
Tennessee picked up its 16th football commitment of the 2025 signing cycle Friday afternoon, receiving a nonbinding pledge from edge rusher Mariyon Dye, a 6-foot-5, 270-pounder from Elkhart, Indiana.
The four-star prospect is the No. 14 edge rusher and the No. 150 prospect overall on the 247Sports.com composite rankings. Dye visited Michigan and Ohio State earlier this month before picking the Vols.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.
Tennessee Athletics photo / Tennessee baseball coach Rick Barnes, right, celebrates with Volunteers football coach Josh Heupel, left, and baseball coach Tony Vitello after Vitello's Vols won the national championship Monday night in Omaha, Nebraska.