The 'What-If' Game With Kennedy Chandler

With Oscar Tshiebwe returning to Lexington next fall, Vol fans are left thinking about life after Kennedy Chandler.

Welcome to the “Tennessee Thomas” newsletter written by “The Sports Renaissance Man” Chase Thomas. This is a section of the newsletter where I write about the Tennessee Volunteers. Who would have guessed? I do hope that you enjoy it and add your email below so you never miss an issue. This newsletter is delivered to your inbox, not your doorstep, daily. Happy reading.

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It is unlikely that I was the only Tennessee Volunteer fan that raised an eyebrow when news broke about Kentucky star center Oscar Tshiebwe electing to return to Lexington next season. I read that and my mind went to Kennedy Chandler. I’m sure a lot more folks in Volunteer Country found the same to be true for them, too. The last time we saw Chandler in a Volunteer uniform he was emotionally distraught following an upset loss in the Round of 32 to Michigan. This season and this team clearly meant a lot to the future NBA guard. He also recognized that with the loss to the Wolverines that this was it for Chandler sporting the orange and white.

Chandler was not the only star SEC player to find himself devastated over an early loss in the NCAA Tournament. Tshiebwe and the Kentucky Wildcats were upset by Saint Peters in the Round of 64. It remains one of the biggest first-round upsets in the tournament’s history. Tshiebwe, like Chandler, was in a position where all eyes were on them all the time. Both had the look and game that made you think they could lead their SEC squads to the Final Four. Of course, it was not meant to be as both teams took their “L” and went home to Lexington and Knoxville, respectively.

And then the North Carolina run happened. The Tar Heels somehow became the lovable underdogs who nobody saw coming. Hubert Davis’s team just kept winning. The history books will forever show that it was the Tar Heels of Chapel Hill that put the final in Coach K’s coaching coffin in the Final Four. Ultimately, the Heels ran out of steam as their brilliant starting five finally were rendered mortal in that second half against Kansas. However, fans at home could see how cool this collective group was with one another. With no future NBA draft lottery picks amongst the group, it was conceivable that they could run it back next season. It looks like that is going to be the case, too. It is an exciting time for North Carolina basketball fans because it looks like they’re going to be able to get more time to spend with a collection of players they fell in love with this season, especially during the tournament, and see if they can make it back next year. This feeling is what makes collegiate sports special in a lot of ways when your school stumbles into that right collection of guys that just might be able to win a championship for your university before they all go their separate ways.