Tennessee fans welcome Jonas Aidoo back to Knoxville by booing him as he came out of the tunnel at Food City Center for pregame warmups. And again when he was inserted into Arkansas’ starting lineup. And over and over again throughout the game, every time Aidoo touched the ball.

Head coach Rick Barnes took a different tack after No. 1 Tennessee beat No. 23 Arkansas 76-52 in the SEC opener Saturday afternoon in Knoxville.

As Barnes walked through the handshake line, Aidoo’s former head coach told him he loved him.

“When I shook his hand, I hugged him,” Barnes said during his postgame press conference. “I said, ‘Jonas, I love you,’ and I really love him because – he found a situation that was really hard for him to turn down and he did it.”

Rick Barnes on Jonas Aidoo: “He did a lot for us while he was here”

Aidoo was one of four Tennessee players to enter the NCAA transfer portal last April after the Vols advanced to the Elite Eight. His departure was the biggest surprise from the group, which also included a second-year power forward Tobe Awaka (Arizona) and redshirt freshmen Freddie Dilione V (Penn State) and DJ Jefferson (Longwood).

Aidoo had a breakout junior season at Tennessee, being named Second Team All-SEC and the SEC All-Defensive Team. He averaged career highs in scoring (11.4 points per game), rebounding (7.3), defensive rebounds (4.5), offensive rebounds (2.8), blocks (1 .8), steals (0.7) and minutes (25.4).

But after three seasons with the Vols — he signed with Tennessee as a four-star top-40 recruit in the 2021 class — he announced he would enter his name in the NBA Draft while also entering the NCAA transfer portal.

Three weeks later, he landed at Arkansas with the new Razorback head coach John Calipari.

“I didn’t have a problem with it,” Barnes said of Aidoo’s transfer decision, “but I think it was hard.” I mean, he did a lot for us while he was here. But I wish him nothing but the best.”

Barnes added that he would say the same thing Cameron Carrthe sophomore winger who abruptly left the Tennessee program on Dec. 23 and pursued his own transfer after missing last month with a thumb injury.

“Jahmai Mashack said it best,” Barnes said. “He said, ‘All we can do is pray for them and wish them the best, and we need to mind our business here and move on.’ And that’s exactly what we did.”

Jonas Aidoo vs. Tennessee: 4 points, 5 rebounds in 29 minutes

Aidoo finished Saturday with four points and five rebounds in 29 minutes, going 2-3 from the field, 0-1 from the 3-point line and 0-2 from the foul line against his old team. He had no points, no rebounds and two fouls in 11 minutes in the first half.

Tennessee’s point guard Zakai Zeigler After the game he said he couldn’t remember anything he said to Aidoo during the game, describing it simply as chatter in the heat of the moment.

What he did say, however, is that there is still a bond between the two after being teammates for three years.

“Basketball brought me and him closer as friends, and if it wasn’t for basketball, I never would have known Jonas,” Zeigler said. “So other than that, he’s still my brother.”

But that doesn’t mean Zeigler didn’t plan on throwing some jibes after the game.

“When we stand between the lines on the field,” he said, “I don’t know him and he doesn’t know me.” It was nice to see the scoreboard at the end of the game since he was on the opposing team. At the end of the day, he’s still my brother.”