Kim Caldwell Is Reclaiming Her Identity at Tennessee

By: Dallas Bowlin

Senior Staff Writer/Editor/Host

All Vol Call In Show

Photo | A to Z Sports

We’ve all seen the meme of Will Smith standing alone in the empty room from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. That was Kim Caldwell on the day the transfer portal opened.

The cupboard was bare.

Not only did Caldwell have to rebuild her roster, but she also had to replace assistants Gabe Lazo and Roman Tubner. I said at the time that if she somehow pulled off this turnaround, it might be her greatest accomplishment yet at Tennessee.

In my opinion, on paper, she’s done exactly that.

One of the biggest issues with the 2025–2026 Lady Vols roster was that the pieces simply didn’t fit the style of play Caldwell is trying to bring to the SEC—and the numbers reflect that.

Tennessee saw a dip across nearly every major category. Points per game fell from 87.2 in 2024–25 to 77.0 in 2025–26. Assists dropped from 15.6 to 13.7, steals from 11.4 to 10.4, and shooting efficiency followed suit, with field goal percentage sliding from 43.8% to 41.3%, three-point shooting from 32.6% to 31.0%, and free throw percentage from 68.9% to 67.0%.

That said, none of this is meant as a criticism of the players on that roster. They are talented in their own right. The issue wasn’t ability—it was how those pieces aligned within the system Tennessee is trying to build. The fit just wasn’t there.

With this portal class—and essentially a rebuilt roster—Caldwell and her new staff prioritized fit, and it shows.

Perimeter shooting consistency was limited last season. Only four players shot 30% or better from three: Hurst (41%), Barker (36%), Cooper (34%), and Robertson (33%).

That becomes even more significant when compared to what’s coming in. Six incoming players shot above 30% from deep at the Division I level on meaningful volume: Avery Mills (42.7%), Rylie Theuerkauf (40.6%), Naomi White (36.5%), Kaylene Smikle (35.0%), Fatmata Janneh (33.0%), and Kennedy Fauntleroy (30.8%).

The takeaway is simple: both volume and efficiency on the perimeter should rise—and that matters in a system built on spacing, pace, and pressure.

That doesn’t even account for the addition of six-foot-one freshman guard Gabby Minus, who averaged 22 points per game in high school. Minus is a big guard who can get out in transition, a natural fit for the pace-and-pressure identity Tennessee wants to play with.

There’s also international prospect Irene Oboavwoduo, a 5-foot-9 guard from England who played for the Manchester Mystics. Across 28 games in FIBA U16 and U18 competition, she averaged 12.0 points and five rebounds per game—strong production for a guard her size. With a smooth mid-range game and a willingness to crash the glass, she adds a layer of versatility that should translate well.

Put simply, both additions address clear needs in pace, spacing, and versatility.

For Kim Caldwell to succeed and reach her full potential at Tennessee, the team will have to fully embrace her style of basketball—and she will have to continue building the roster in her image. That process is already underway with the prospects she’s brought in and the additions to her staff.

Will it translate to on-court success? That remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: if it doesn’t, Caldwell will have no reason to second-guess the direction she chose for the program.