What Rick Barnes said about Freddie Dilione enrolling early for Tennessee basketball

Freddie Dilione had his sights on joining Tennessee basketball as early as possible.

The Vols’ top 2023 signee made it happen: He is expected to enroll at Tennessee in January and get an early start on preparing for his freshman season in 2023-24.

“I think it’s huge, I do,” Vols coach Rick Barnes said. "It’s been going on in football forever. The fact that he and his family decided they wanted to do it. I think it’s going to really help him a lot. Gives him a big head start on things.”

SURGING: It's time for Jonas Aidoo to start for Tennessee basketball. He proved it at Ole Miss.

Barnes said Dilione will not play this season and will work on the UT scout team. Tennessee had an open scholarship, which allowed the Vols to add Dilione in the middle of the season. He is the No. 27 prospect in the 247Sports Composite.

The 6-foot-4, 185-pound Dilione plays at Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina. UT will roll Dilione into working with strength and conditioning coach Garrett Medenwald immediately, focusing on his body and nutrition.

"He'll probably start out really helping our scout team," Barnes said. "As he continues to learn our system here, it’s going to be great for us and it’s going to be great for him."

Dilione is one of four 2023 prospects who signed with the Vols in November. UT also signed four-star forward JP Estrella, three-star forward Cade Phillips and three-star guard Cameron Carr.

Dilione is UT's first midseason addition since Santiago Vescovi. Vescovi joined the Vols in late December 2019 out of the NBA Global Academy. UT expected to redshirt Vescovi, but he burst into the starting lineup as his arrival coincided with Lamonte Turner's decision to end his UT career due to injury.

Dilione and his family initially thought about enrolling prior to the 2022-23 season, but they decided Dilione would begin the season in high school.

"We’re fortunate we have a scholarship," Barnes said. "So that worked out well that way. We’re excited about him getting here.”

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Freddie Dilione expected to join Tennessee basketball in January