Tennessee basketball preview: Dai Dai Ames

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Tennessee basketball preview: Dai Dai Ames

Ken Lay, Vols Wire · Vols Wire

Wed, Jul 1, 2026 ·

2 min read

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Rick Barnes enters his 12th season as Tennessee's head coach for the 2026-27 basketball campaign. The Vols have advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight for three consecutive seasons.

Following the 2025-26 season, Tennessee received transfer commitments from Belmont guard Tyler Lundblade , California guard Dai Dai Ames , Loyola Chicago center Miles Rubbin , Notre Dame guard Jalen Haralson , VCU guard Terrence Hill Jr. , Kennesaw State forward Braeden Lue , Wake Forest guard Juke Harris and VCU forward Christian Fermin .

Barnes discussed guard Ames transferring to Tennessee.

"We are excited to welcome Dai Dai and his family to the Tennessee basketball program," Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said . "He is an extremely competitive and coachable individual who really gels with our culture.

"Dai Dai can make shots in late-clock situations, which is a skill we were looking for in the portal. He is a crafty lefty with a strong frame who can finish at the rim through contact, as well as a superb movement shooter and an elite midrange scorer. All of that makes him a great fit for our system. Dai Dai really wants to be part of a winning team and contend for championships."

Below is a preview for the 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior after transferring to the Vols. He will wear jersey No. 4.

Tennessee basketball preview Dai Dai Ames

Dai Dai Ames #7 of the California Golden Bears dribbles the ball against Elias Rapieque #0 of the Kansas State Wildcats in the first half at Bramlage Coliseum on November 13, 2025 in Manhattan, Kansas.
(Peter Aiken, Getty Images)

2025-26 season - California

Ames earned Third-Team All-ACC honors as a junior with the Bears last season. He was also a NABC Second-Team All-Pacific District standout.

Ames appeared in 34 games and was the only California player to start every contest. He averaged 16.9 points, 2.2 assists and two rebounds per game. Ames recorded a .464 field goal percentage, .376 three-point shooting percentage and .850 free throw percentage.

2024-25 season - Virginia

As a sophomore for the Cavaliers, Ames appeared in 31 games, including 26 starts. He averaged 8.7 points, 1.9 assists, 1.4 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game. Ames had a.460 field goal percentage, 397 three-point percentage and .829 free throw percentage.

2023-24 season - Kansas State

During his freshman season with the Wildcats, Ames appeared in 31 games, including 16 starts. He averaged 5.2 points, 2.0 assists and 1.1 rebounds per contest, while playing 20.6 minutes per game.

High school

Ames is from Kenwood Academy in Chicago, Illinois. During his high school career, he recorded 1,500 points and set a single-game scoring record with 65 points versus Southland College Preparatory Charter High School on Dec. 26, 2022, converting 28-of-41 field goal attempts.