Rick Barnes, head men’s basketball coach at the University of Tennessee, announced the signing of Jalen Haralson on Friday.
Haralson, a freshman guard at Notre Dame who earned Honorable Mention All-ACC, will transfer to Tennessee as a sophomore with three years of college eligibility.
We are thrilled to have Jalen join the Tennessee basketball family and believe he is a great fit for us. Jalen has great positional flexibility on both sides of the court, making him a useful addition, according to Barnes. He is a forceful, downhill driver who excels at drawing fouls and getting to the line. Jalen can grab a rebound and start the break because he has strong ball control, outstanding passing skills, and a high basketball IQ. He’s a good fit for the pick-and-roll offense and also excels at cutting to the basket. Jalen is eager to join our program and help us win.
Haralson averaged 16. 2 points, 4. 0 rebounds, and 2. 6 assists in 26. 6 minutes per game for the Fighting Irish last season. He participated in 27 games, missing four due to injury, with 23 starts and 51. 5% shooting from the field.
The 6-foot-7, 220-pounder placed seventh in the ACC in field-goal percentage and 12th in scoring, with the former figure ranking 97th in the country. He led Notre Dame in scoring (minimum 15 GP), assists, made field goals (155), made free throws (122), and free-throw attempts (181), while also ranking second in rebounding and field goal percentage.
Haralson’s 16. 2 scoring average was the fourth-highest by a rookie in program history, trailing only Troy Murphy (1998-99), Adrian Dantley (1973-74), and Markus Burton (2023-24).
Only eight freshmen in the country averaged at least 16. 0 points, 4. 0 rebounds, and 2. 5 assists per game in 2025-26. Haralson joins Toledo’s Leroy Blyden Jr. , Duke’s Cameron Boozer, BYU’s A. J. Dybantsa, Houston’s Kingston Flemings, Merrimack’s Kevair Kennedy, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson on the list.
Haralson scored double-digit points 24 times throughout the year, with 15-plus in 17 games, 20-plus in eight, and 25-plus in two. The Anderson, Ind. , native scored a season-high 26 points in a Jan. 31 game at Syracuse, going 9-for-12 from the field and 8-for-11 from the free throw line. He also had four-plus assists seven times, including seven-plus twice, and five-plus assists eight times, including seven-plus three times.
Haralson performed his finest down the stretch, averaging 19. 3 points, 4. 7 rebounds, and 3. 0 assists in his last nine games. In just the last four games, he averaged 22. 0 points and 5. 3 rebounds per game, with 19-plus points in each and 23-plus points in two.
Haralson averaged 17. 4 points per game over the course of the ACC season, placing him ninth in the league. He shot 53. 6% from the field in league games, placing him fifth in the league.
Haralson, a consensus top-20 recruit from La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana, ended as a five-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite, ranking No. 17 overall and third among small forwards. He was universally recognized as the Hoosier State’s second-best prospect.
Haralson was named a 2025 McDonald’s All-American, making him the 14th player in Tennessee history to participate in the renowned all-star game, the first to do so as a transfer, and the sixth during Barnes’ tenure.
Haralson, a member of Team USA at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup in Turkey, assisted his country in earning the gold medal. In seven games, he averaged 11. 1 points and 4. 0 rebounds, ranking fifth-best among Americans, as the team won all seven contests, including six by at least 40 points.
Haralson also represented the United States at the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit on April 12, 2025, at the Moda Center in Portland. He helped the squad defeat the World Select squad 124-114 in overtime. He participated for Spiece Indy Heat in AAU tournaments, averaging 21. 2 points and 7. 3 rebounds per game in spring 2024 Nike EYBL play.
Tennessee has 12 former letter champions from Indiana, but Haralson will be the first since Chris Brand in 1992-93. The list also contains three two-time First Team All-SEC selections: Mike Edwards (1971-72, 1972-73), Dalen Showalter (1958-59, 1959-60), and Gilbert Huffman (1938-39, 1940-41).
Harlason is a consensus top-40 player in the transfer market, with 247Sports ranking him as high as No. 25 and third among combo guards. He is also ranked No. 30 on The Athletic’s list, which puts him fifth among wing players.
Haralson is the fifth transfer to sign with the Volunteers this offseason, joining MVC Player of the Year Tyler Lundblade, two-time All-A-10 Defensive Team honoree Miles Rubin, Third Team All-ACC selection Dai Dai Ames, and First Team All-A-10 selection Terrence Hill Jr. Barnes’ program will also welcome four junior recruits: Marquis Clark, Manny Green, Ralph Scott, and Chris Washington Jr.
