Written by Mark Ennis | 21 March 2011

Since Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton made comments indicating that he wasn't sure if Bruce Pearl would return to coach the Volunteers' basketball team in 2011-12, rumors have swirled around both Pearl's future and the future of recruits that signed to play for Pearl next season. Recently, the Kentucky website Nation of Blue spoke with a Tennessee signee that requested to remain anonymous. The recruit stated that he would not go to Tennessee if Pearl was fired. He also added that he had one school in mind if he did have to look elsewhere. The anonymous recruit told Nation of Blue:

If Coach Pearl is fired, I will not be playing at Tennessee," he said. But it's late in the recruiting process and there isn't much time to change plans from here on out. However, this unnamed player has another school that really pops out to him: the Louisville Cardinals.  "Louisville would be my first choice for sure," he said. "Rick Pitino would be my first option." It is obvious that this recruit is high on the coach he will play for, and rightfully so. As for other recruits, "It's not looking so good," the anonymous player says.

It is unclear at this point which signee Nation of Blue was speaking to, but, Tennessee has just two signees for the class of 2011: Point guard Chris Jones and shooting guard Kevin Ware. Given Louisville's lack of a true backup point guard to Peyton Siva, there's no question that Louisville would welcome Ware into the class of 2011 if possible. At this point, however, it is purely speculation who Nation of Blue spoke to or what Tennessee's intentions are with Bruce Pearl.

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