KNOXVILLE—In somewhat shocking news, Vol point guard Trae Golden will not return for his senior year and will transfer after the completion of the spring semester. “We want nothing but the best for Trae. Everyone associated with our program wants to see him be successful, and we wish him well,” Martin said in a release.

Golden played in 96 games with 58 starts (all at the point guard position) during his three-year career. He averaged 9.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists during his career on Rocky Top.

Photo by Reed Carringer

“I had a great three years here at Tennessee, but I plan to play my senior year somewhere else this fall,” Golden said. “I really appreciate the staff and all the great support from Vol fans. I’m definitely going to miss my teammates. I want them to have nothing but success in the future.”

It’s no secret Golden was a talented, yet streaky player during his tenure. The Vols were 15-4 last year when Golden scored in double-figures and struggled mightily when he failed to produce. He disappeared in losses to Alabama (2 points), Georgia (4 points), and Memphis (4 points), and went through a 4-26 shooting slump over four games midway through the season.

Too often during Martin’s tenure, the Vols either soared to victory on the wings of a productive Golden, or fell in defeat on the heels of a player that was too prone to disappear on nights when his shot wasn’t falling.

Toward the end of last season, Martin became increasingly frustrated with Golden’s inconsistent play and how that streakiness affected the team. While exact specifics aren’t known at this time, we can confirm it wasn’t Golden’s decision to leave. Golden was facing a drastic reduction in minutes this season and was encouraged to transfer.

Update: Sources close to the program have leaked reports of cheating/plagiarism as the reason behind his transfer, while sources close to the team and Golden have suggested he was forced out because of Martin’s issues with him. Academic concerns certainly played a part in his departure, but the rift between Golden and the staff was also a driving factor in his transfer. Were Martin’s problems with Golden (at least in part) related to his academic indiscretions? That’s where these two seemingly different theories collide.

Rivals Top 150 guard Darius Thompson will arrive this fall and be the immediate favorite to start at point guard. Jordan McRae will also have an opportunity to play point, as he did some last season while Golden was struggling to find his game. Junior walk-on point guard Brandon Lopez will also get his chance to direct the Vol offense.

We wish Golden nothing but good things as he continues his career elsewhere.