Drew Pember had a vision for the summer.
The Bearden rising senior forward saw his recruitment gain steam through an important spring. So he outlined a plan to play basketball through the summer, see which schools came into the picture and make a commitment at the end of July.
But a Monday stop at Tennessee halted his plans and his recruitment. Pember watched the Vols practice, work out and train. He spent time with coach Rick Barnesand assistant coach Rob Lanier.
“They made it seem like home really,” Pember said. “To me, it just felt like the place that I needed to be. I needed to be there regardless of when I committed or anything. I just needed to be there. They are going to be a really, really good program next year and one of the top teams in the SEC. They have everything going for them and have done an incredible job in their program.
“That’s something I want to be part of.”
So Pember called it. He announced Friday he would attend Tennessee, committing to the local program and giving the Vols their second commitment in the 2019 class.
“Growing up as a kid, you think everybody wants to play for their hometown,” Pember said. “That is something that is becoming a reality now for me. I’m blessed for everything that has happened.”
