Igor Milicic Jr's Floor Spacing Could be March Key for Tennessee
By Pablo Cong
The Tennessee Volunteers, under Rick Barnes, have established themselves with a foundation of defense, toughness, and disciplined play. However, their Achilles' heel in recent postseasons has been their offensive inconsistency—specifically, their struggle to generate easy buckets, particularly from wing scoring and perimeter shooting. They now have a a versatile big man with floor-spacing ability in 6'10" forward, Igor Miličić Jr. His shooting and offensive versatility could be a game-changer for the Vols as they gear up for a deep tournament run.
Igor Milicic and-one! #Vols pic.twitter.com/NnP3FyqEK1
— Reece Van Haaften (@Reece_VH) March 6, 2025
A Unique Skill Set for Tennessee's Frontcourt
The evolution of basketball has ushered in a new era of players as teams increasingly emphasize three-point shooting. At 6'10", Igor Miličić Jr. offers a compelling blend of size, shooting, and physicality. While Tennessee traditionally relies on interior-focused big men, Miličić brings a mix of both styles. He's currently shooting 33% from beyond the arc while averaging 10 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Rick Barnes has effectively utilized his versatility, incorporating him into perimeter actions through pick and pops, PNR action, hand-offs, pitch plays with dynamic point guard Zakai Zeigler, and constant movement to keep defenses adjusting to Tennessee's offensive schemes.
The Impact on Tennessee's Offense
The Vols' offensive scheme is best when the floor is spaced correctly. Zakai Zeigler and Chaz Lanier thrive with room to attack and shoot, making Miličić's ability to pull opposing big men out of the paint crucial come tournament time. If teams try to defend Tennessee with a traditional post player, Miličić has the potential to make them pay by knocking down open looks. His presence also opens up opportunities for others, as defenses are less willing to help off him with Miličić lurking beyond the arc.
Beyond just spot-up shooting, Miličić is a smart player who moves well without the ball. His ability to pop off screens, stretch defenses in transition, and even attack closeouts gives Barnes an offensive weapon he hasn't always had in past tournament runs, while maintaining the strong defensive presence Barnes has made his hallmark in Knoxville.
Tournament History
A big tournament performance from Miličić could help Tennessee exorcise its past postseason struggles, as the Vols have never reached a Final Four or a national championship game. They are looking to erase the curse and make a deep postseason run
National Titles: None
Final Four: None
Elite Eight: 2010
Sweet 16: 9 times (1967, 1981, 2000, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2019, 2023)
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