Tennessee forward John Fulkerson met with the media on Tuesday morning to recap his decision to return to Rocky Top for a sixth season of eligibility.
On if he would have come back for another year if his season had not ended in injury:
“I think I would now be considering other options. I think that was really a big key factor that played into my decision-making to come back to Tennessee. I think that it was really God showing me that I had the opportunity and chance to do it one more time.”
On what went through his mind during the process of deciding to come back to Tennessee:
“There was a lot that was going through my head and really I was just weighing out my options to see what the best decision was for me and just making sure that I was going to make the right decision for myself. After a lot of prayer and consideration and talking with my parents, talking with some mentors and people I really look up to, I decided to come back. It wasn’t really all about me personally, but really for me to help this team that we’re going to have next year, and to mentor some of the guys coming in. I really think that this team is going to be special and we can really accomplish something.”
On how instrumental his family was in making his decision and if he sees himself now as a “player-coach”:
“My parents were so supportive in this decision, as they have been my whole life. They were giving me some great guidance, some great tips and advice. Ultimately though, they did not want me to do this or do that, they just wanted me to do what I wanted to do and they were going to support me either way. I think that’s what the best parents do, they let you make your own decisions, especially at my age. They were going to support me either way, they were going to love me either way so credit to them for supporting me and helping me through all of that.
“I do see myself as a player-coach because I’ve played for coach Barnes for awhile now and I think that I know what he’s wanting and know his system and I think that it’s great to have a voice out there that can help the guys.”
On the two-week stretch of Senior Day, getting injured and Tennessee’s season-ending:
“That was a busy and jam-packed two weeks. Really, after the season after we got back, I went home for about a week and just kind of decompressed and hung out with my family. I wasn’t able to play basketball still, so I was just hanging out with my family and spending time with them. That’s when I really had the opportunity to think about what I wanted my next steps to look like and what I wanted my future to look like as well.”
On his current health status as it pertains to playing basketball:
“Of course. This is our fourth week of spring practice, so I’ve been going for four weeks now and I feel fine. Everything is great and I’m so excited to get out here in the summer with my new teammates.”
On if the addition of several new members to the team swayed his decision:
“I pretty much had my decision made before we started bringing in all of those recruits, but when we were getting all of those recruits it really made me want to let you guys know and let this next team know that I was going to be on the team and I was going to do whatever I could do to help this team and how excited I was to play on this team. So I had my decision made up, but once we started getting all of these recruits, it made me so much more excited to let them know.”
On when exactly he made the decision to come back and if he researched any other options before making his final decision:
“The more I thought about it, the more I thought about the way that I ended here at Tennessee. I was talking to Bob Kesling last night and I told him just my love for this university and when I put on a Tennessee jersey for this community, for the city of Knoxville. I just didn’t want to end it the way that I did, especially if I had the chance to do it again and finish on my terms, then I would love to do that and I would love to go out how I want to go out. So the more I thought about that, the more it got me excited to have the ability to return. During that week I just talked with my parents and some mentors of mine and kind of entertained the idea that I could come back and after lots of talking and consideration, I decided to.”
On Tennessee’s preseason ranking jumping from No. 25 to No. 15 after his decision was announced:
“I thought we should have been ranked No. 1. I’m just kidding. Honestly, I didn’t see that, I probably won’t see it. I don’t really look at preseason rankings or rankings in general. But I guess that’s a good compliment. Like I said though, I don’t really look at preseason rankings or rankings in general.”
On if he had COVID-19 and if it affected his play this past season:
“I did have COVID, and I think that COVID affected a lot more than my play. COVID affected a lot of people and a lot of different programs, and I think it can go as far as having the fans in the arenas affected a lot of different programs, people, and players. One of things for me is, you guys know how much of an energy player I am and how much I love the fans, and I really like playing off the fans and their energy. With them not being there, every team in this country had to create their own energy. Not only for me, but for every team out there, COVID affected them, whether they had it or not personally as far as their stamina, their conditioning, the energy, and things like that. I think all around it affected this whole program and that’s what makes me so excited for next year is it to be more of a normal year. I heard Danny White talk about last night, that he wants Neyland Stadium packed full, so I hope he can say the same about Thompson-Boling Arena. It makes me just so excited about next year and seeing what we can do.”
On if he was leaning one way or another when the NCAA first presented the year of added eligibility and how much it weighed on him throughout the season:
“Whenever this rule for eligibility came out about staying one more year and this year not counting, I was actually quarantined and coach Barnes called me with one of our assistants and asked me I was coming back. I said, ‘no I’ve been here long enough, and this is going to be a great year.’ I did not think for a single second that I would come back or that I was going to return, but then at the end of the season with all the factors that played in, I guess that was the complete change of events.”
On the mentors he spoke with, and what the feedback he got from them was:
“My biggest mentor other than my parents would be my AAU coach, and he’s really like my second dad. I played for him for four years, and since I quit playing for him and I’ve been at Tennessee, our relationship has just grown over the years and we’ve become closer. We go out to eat all the time, I go to his practices, he comes to the games, and things like that. Really with everyone I talked to, they were like my parents. They did not tell me a decision to make, and they gave me the pros and cons of each decision. They supported me, whichever one I was going to pick, and wanted me to do whatever made me the happiest and what I wanted to do.”
On what are the changes on the roster for this year that excites him most and the potential of that team:
“I think the biggest thing I’m excited for about this team, is our team chemistry and team-bonding opportunities just because I felt like last year COVID really inhibited us for hanging out as a team and creating our team chemistry and team-bonding experiences. I think hanging out off the court, and things such as team meals, movies, events, and things like that, help you just as much off the court getting to know each other, as it does on the court. So, that’s something that makes me excited about this team, and I talked to a lot of players and they’re all in and they are so excited to get here and work. So, I’m just excited for them to get here and for us to come together as one team.”
On if he is required to live on campus his senior year:
“Yes, they are making me live on campus. They said I’m the only one that does. Freshman, sophomores, juniors, senior, fifth-years don’t. Only sixth-years are living on campus. Actually no, this will be the first time in seven years that I haven’t lived in the dorm. I’m excited about that because I lived in the dorm in high school for two years and then five years at Tennessee. That’s another thing I’m very excited about is not living in a dorm.”
On Tennessee’s current roster and the turnover it has experienced:
“We are missing a lot, you’re right. Our walk-ons are there as well. I think with everybody we have about nine maybe. We’ve been doing the most we can, the best we can and really competing and getting better. Yesterday we had some VFLs in the gym. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to mention their names but we had some former players in the gym. They really competed with us too and it was great to see them as well. It has definitely been different with not having a full team there. Like you said, just half a team. We’ve been still getting our work in and competing and getting better.”
On the addition of assistant coaches Justin Gainey and Rod Clark:
“First of all, I really already miss coach English and coach Oliver. I think I’ll be seeing coach Oliver for a little bit. I think we’ll go to Pal’s when I get home, I hope he’s there already. I’ve talked to coach English at least five, six or seven times since he’s left. We’re still building our relationship and keeping it very fine-tuned and in-touch a lot. I’m going to miss them a lot because they brought so much to our program. I really like—we call him RC—coach Rod Clark, he does not want to be called coach Clark. We call him RC and I really like him. He reminds me of coach English. He is a younger coach and really knows the game, really knows how to help us. Coach Gainey is very active. He is going to be a great addition to our program as well. I’m excited to get to know those guys and I think they’re going to help our team a ton.”
On throwing the first pitch at Tennessee’s baseball game against Vanderbilt:
“Yes, you’re right. It has been a crazy weekend, but it was a fun weekend. I could talk for a long time about our baseball team. I told their coach last night that I am one of their biggest fans. I just love the way that his team plays. They play with so much heart, competitiveness, togetherness, and energy. I really enjoyed watching them play. It was so fun to throw that first pitch just because I wanted to really get everybody hyped for them and really get them going. I really did not want the spotlight to be on me. It was so fun. I was there when Evan Russell hit the grand slam, and man that place went crazy. That weekend was so fun. We as a team went on Sunday to the baseball game and were hanging out as a team. I think it’s great to see other student-athletes at Tennessee support your teammates and other people on other teams. It just shows that everybody is for Tennessee and supports one another. It was just a really fun experience.”
On if he is wearing a protective mask during practice from previous injury:
“No.”
On steps to be more consistent than last year:
“I think that it starts in practice and my everyday work. I think a lot of it is on the mental side and just getting mentally prepared. That you’ve got to play your best and work your hardest every single day because teams are going to continually get better. Individuals are continually going to get better. I think that you have to approach it to where you tell yourself, you have to continue to get better.”
-UT Athletics
