It’s Tennessee for coveted SC basketball prospect Julian Phillips
Julian Phillips will play in the Southeastern Conference after all.
The Columbia native and five-star recruit committed Thursday to play basketball for coach Rick Barnes and Tennessee. He made the decision alongside family and friends in a ceremony streamed nationally by CBS Sports HQ and held inside a Blythewood hotel ballroom.
After the announcement, many of his family and friends wore Tennessee colors in honor of Phillips, who was the top unsigned prospect for Class of 2022.
“I chose Tennessee because of the relationship I had with coach Barnes and the rest of the staff,” Phillips said. “I think Tennessee is a great place, going to have a great team. The campus, facilities and the fans are great. I think in terms of me going on to the next level and accomplishing my dreams, I think coach Barnes will help me with that.”
Phillips said he knew the Vols were going to be his choice late Wednesday evening, but he kept the news a secret even to his immediate family. Chamberlin Phillips, his father, didn’t find out until a few minutes before his son’s announcement.
“To just see that smile on his face and know he selected a good school,” Chamberlin Phillips said. “He is ready to take that next step and made a good choice.”
Phillips is the third S.C. product to sign with the Vols in the Barnes era. The others were Josiah James (2019) and DJ Burns (2018). James is an NBA prospect, while Burns is going to his third college at N.C. State.
Phillips originally signed with LSU in November but asked out of his letter of intent shortly after Tigers coach Will Wade was fired March 12. He said his recruitment was much easier the second time around because he knew what to expect and what he was looking to accomplish.
Phillips took an official visit to Auburn on April 25-26. He also took an unofficial visit to South Carolina last month and had those colleges in his final options along with Tennessee, Southern Cal, Florida State, the G-League and Overtime Elite. He visited Tennessee, Florida State and Southern Call before he picked LSU.
Phillips said he talked with new Gamecocks coach Lamont Paris as late as two days ago. Phillips met with G-League representatives Wednesday and had recently visited Overtime Elite facilities in Atlanta.
He said the meeting with G-League officials was an eye-opening experience. He talked on a Zoom call with G-League president Shareef Abdur-Rahim and G-League Team Ignite program director Rod Strickland, among others. Both Abdur-Rahim and Strickland are former NBA players.
Phillips declined to say how much money the G-League was willing to pay him for next season, though On3Sports reported he was offered an $800,000 contract. Houston’s Jalen Green and Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga are among those who have played in the G-League and are now in the NBA. Green’s contract was for $500,000.
“Just their history of putting guys in the league, and it is right under the NBA,” Phillips said. “It would have been a good place for me to develop. I would be a ways away (in California), but I would be living like a pro..”
247Sports Composite, Rivals and ESPN rank the 6-foot-8 Phillips as a top-15 national prospect.
“I like how smooth he is. He is a true wing player,” ESPN high school analyst Paul Biancardi told The State. “Not tied into the wing will post up. Got that triple-threat game. He has athleticism and coordination and foot work that is beautiful.”
Phillips on Thursday touted his versatility and strength on offense and defense as being what makes him a good player.
“I’m a big guard, versatile guard offensively and defensively,” Phillips said. “I could shoot the three, pass, rebound. I’m just a guy who will do whatever he can to win.”
Upward Stars Southeast director Curt Wheeler has known Phillips since he was in middle school and has watched him blossom over the the past four years playing for his AAU team.
“You knew he was a special talent,” Wheeler said. “Tennessee is getting a great person, first and foremost, and a great teammate. He is versatile, he could guard inside and outside. He is a learner and a worker, always gotten better each year. I think he will continue to do that at the next level.”
Phillips played three years at Blythewood High School, was a three-time all-state selection and played AAU for Upward Stars. He played his senior season at Link Year in Branson, Missouri.
Phillips was McDonald’s All-American and was selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic this year. ESPN projected him as a first-round pick in its early 2023 NBA mock draft released this week.
Phillips was part of a talented Link Year team that finished 34-2 and made it to the championship game of the GEICO Nationals. He averaged 14.6 points and 3.9 rebounds a game this year.
Phillips said going away for his senior season definitely helped him in his development as a player.
“Playing under coach (Rodney) Perry, he has been on the college level and knows what it looks like,” he said. “We had really competitive practices. Our daily workouts were a tough grind. Working out there and being away from home, I learned a lot and it will help me next year in college.”
This story was originally published May 12, 2022 at 3:12 PM.
