Tennessee received some more off-season news on Monday afternoon when veteran Center Uros Plavsic announced he would not be returning to Tennessee to use his extra year of eligibility. Instead, Plavsic will start his professional career after spending four years in Knoxville.
In Plavsic's four years on Rocky Top, he never played more than 35% of the minutes in a single season and really had to wait until his junior season to get legitimate playing time. While he wasn't a stat sheet stuffer, Plavsic improved his efficiency from his junior to his senior year while also being used more offensively. Overall though, Plavsic was really useful to Tennessee in his role as a rebounder and enforcer. He was the bully on a team that thrived on its' physicality, especially on the defensive end. Plavsic brought energy to a team that has always been known for playing hard. He was never afraid of contact in the paint.
While Plavsic did have his defined role for the Vols, being an enforcer has its downsides. Part of that is the reputation it creates among opposing fans. Plavsic became dislikable to many during Tennessee's Sweet 16 run in the NCAA Tournament when he had a couple of questionable fouls against Duke and Florida Atlantic. In the FAU game, he was given a technical foul for elbowing FAU Center Vladislav Goldin. Regardless, seeing veteran players leave school is always tough for fans. Through the ups and downs of Plavsic's career, he was part of many memories for Tennessee fans.
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