Eight Former Tennessee Players Make NBA Opening Rosters

A total of eight former University of Tennessee standouts have secured spots on NBA teams for the 2026-27 season.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Basketball

Eight Former Tennessee Players Make NBA Opening Rosters

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Eight former University of Tennessee basketball players have been named to NBA opening day rosters for the 2026-27 season. These athletes earned their positions through various draft selections and contract acquisitions as the league prepares to tip off.

Why it matters

The inclusion of these eight players highlights the continued pipeline of talent transitioning from the University of Tennessee to the professional level. This presence across multiple NBA franchises showcases the growing influence of the program on the league.

Former Volunteer Tobias Harris leads the group with 1,033 career NBA games played and 16,000 career points, while veteran Grant Williams has logged 111 starts and 3,000 career points.

The players

Tobias Harris

This seasoned professional has played 1,033 NBA games and recently signed a two-year, $31 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs.

Grant Williams

A veteran presence in the league, he has recorded over 3,000 career points and started 111 games throughout his professional career.

University of Tennessee

The Knoxville-based educational institution serves as the collegiate home for these eight NBA players.

NBA

The premier professional basketball league in North America officially began its 2026-27 season on October 20.

The details

The group features Nate Ament with the Milwaukee Bucks, Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Tobias Harris with the San Antonio Spurs, Chaz Lanier with the Detroit Pistons, Jahmai Mashack with the Memphis Grizzlies, Felix Okpara with the Washington Wizards, Julian Phillips with the Houston Rockets, and Grant Williams with the Charlotte Hornets. Harris signed a new two-year deal worth $31 million to join the Spurs' roster.

Tobias Harris was Second Team All-SEC in 2010-11.
Julian Phillips earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors in 2022-23.
Nate Ament was named Second Team All-SEC in 2025-26.
The NBA league office released opening day rosters on October 19, 2026.
The 2026-27 NBA season begins on October 20, 2026.

Season Trajectory

The presence of these eight players across the league underscores the University of Tennessee basketball development pipeline and its role in supplying professional rosters. This influx of talent impacts team depth charts and adds regional interest for fans following their former collegiate stars.

Fans in Knoxville can track the performance of these eight athletes as they begin their 2026-27 campaigns across their respective NBA teams. These roster spots determine daily availability and participation in upcoming league games for the season.

The takeaway

Following former local players as they progress to the professional level provides a unique lens for observing basketball talent development. Tracking these career transitions can help fans understand the long-term trajectory of college programs in the professional landscape.