New Commit Troy Henderson Excited to Join the Vols

By Houston Wilson 

After the coaching change at Fordham, 2025 guard Troy Henderson chose to reopen his recruitment. Tennessee wasted no time in bringing him to Knoxville for a visit, and it wasn’t long before he made the decision to commit to Rick Barnes and the Volunteers. In an exclusive interview with Locker Room Access, Henderson discusses what led to his commitment to Tennessee and much more.

"I wanted to be part of a winning culture," Henderson explained. "Coach Barnes is a Hall of Fame coach, and he’s developed players who’ve reached the same goals I have for my career. At the end of the day, it was the winning culture and Coach Barnes’ ability to help me grow that made the difference. He does all the right things."

Henderson’s visit to Knoxville came just a day after Tennessee’s impressive win over UCLA, a fast turnaround that underscored how much he was valued by the program.

"It showed me how much of a priority I was for them," he said. "Getting the chance to visit while they were deep in the NCAA Tournament run really solidified my decision to commit."

One of the aspects of Tennessee that stood out to Henderson was the staff’s deep involvement in the program’s success.

"The biggest takeaway for me was the staff," Henderson said. "Everyone plays a significant role, and that’s what makes it such a special place."

Tennessee’s consistent NCAA Tournament success under Rick Barnes was another big factor in Henderson’s decision.

"They’ve been really successful in March, and that’s something I’m excited about," Henderson noted. "Three consecutive Sweet 16 appearances speak for themselves. The program has a lot of momentum right now."

A comparison to Zakai Zeigler, a key player for the Vols, has also been a major talking point during Henderson’s recruitment.

"The staff has compared me to Zakai Zeigler a lot," Henderson shared. "They’ve told me that like him, I wasn’t highly recruited, but we’re both relentless competitors on the court. We both have that ‘dog’ mentality."

When asked what Tennessee fans can expect from him, Henderson was clear about what he brings to the table.

"They’re getting a point guard who knows how to win," he said. "I’ll do whatever it takes to help the team succeed. I take pride in defense and I’m always looking to get my teammates involved. They’ll see a leader who’s all about competing and making plays."

Troy Henderson pulled up to @JohnWallHoliday and took home the 🏆 @Henderson24Troy pic.twitter.com/8uYRkNiEar

— Bryce Lanning (@EliteMixtapesYT) January 11, 2025

Henderson is the third member of Tennessee’s 2025 recruiting class, joining guard Amari Evans and center DeWayne Brown.  With many holes to fill on next season’s roster, Rick Barnes and his staff are expected to be active recruiting the transfer portal this spring. 

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