John Fulkerson Discusses Decision to Return to Tennessee

It has been a whirlwind of an off-season for the Tennessee Men's Basketball program. Rick Barnes lost two assistant coaches, replaced both of them, closed out a top-five recruiting class, and then received news that John Fulkerson would return. Today, Fulkerson was available to the media and discussed his decision to return 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," Fulkerson said about the process. "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."

The Tennessee native's parents were a key part in helping him make the strenuous decision.

"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. 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."

Fulkerson was not planning to return to Tennessee when the NCAA announced its blanket eligibility waiver.

"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."

Fulkerson was not able to go out on his own terms, as he had to watch Tennessee's season end as he was sidelined due to a nasty injury suffered by an elbow to his face. However, that changed his story and ultimately played a key role in him opting to stay at Tennessee for one more season.

"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."

Fulkerson put a lot of consideration into a return, and he made the decision in the days leading up to his heartfelt announcement.

"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."