Tennessee signee Duke Crews gazed around Thompson-Boling Arena following two hours of pickup basketball Tuesday afternoon.

"I see a sold-out crowd,'' Crews said, asked to envision the future. "I see us beating Kentucky.''

Sounds good. But Crews is more than just talk.

He's a 6-foot-7A 3/4, 235-pound dunking and shot-blocking machine who averaged 18 points and 14 rebounds a game at Bethel High School in Hampton, Va., last season

"You really think he'll be able to do what he did in high school here?'' UT teammate JaJuan Smith said. "I mean, there's some pretty big and strong dudes in the SEC.''

Indeed, Crews didn't bring his "A" game to his first voluntary workout for much the same reason former Vols' star middle linebacker Al Wilson rarely laid his heaviest hits on the practice field.

"It's kind of hard to go all-out in some ways being that we're all teammates,'' said Crews, who showed a considerably more physical style of play in the Derby Classic all-star game in Louisville, Ky., April 16. "We try to keep each other safe in these games so no one gets injured.''

Billed by UT coaches as a natural leader, Crews probably knows it takes time to earn respect from his teammates.

One night of pick-up ball isn't going to do it.

But being in the weight room and gym two or three times a day will, and that's exactly how Crews said he's planning to spend the second term of summer school in Knoxville.

"I'm working on a lot of things, because I've got a lot to work on,'' Crews said. "I'm working on my ball-handling, playing in transition and my shot.''

UT coach Bruce Pearl projected Crews to play small forward primarily along with some center, but it's clear he could also see some time at power forward.

"My athleticism allows me to do that,'' said Crews, who can touch the top of the box on the backboard off a flat-footed jump. "I can guard any of the three positions. I'm not going to back down from anybody.''

Crews, obviously, does not lack confidence.

Nor does he have a problem with his visions.

"I want to be SEC Freshman of the Year,'' Crews said. "It's a realistic goal if you think about it.''

The thing that makes such personal goals work within Pearl's team concept is Crews' starts out with an emphasis on defense.

"I don't want to be the guy they say, 'he had 26 points and Duke was guarding him,' '' Crews said. "No way. Defense is something you have to play with heart. On offense, everything just takes care of itself, especially with a team like we have.''

Crews was just as proud of his ball-handling and passing in Tuesday's scrimmages as his shot-blocking, rebounding and dunking.

And in redshirt sophomore Tony Passley, Crews has found himself an ideal workout partner.

Passley, who's coming off a suspension, measures up well against Crews physically and athletically. He, too, is agile and athletic, and his shooting range makes him a handful for Crews to guard.

It wasn't until Passley dunked with Crews guarding him Tuesday that Crews turned his game up a notch.

"Tony and I work out together a lot,'' Crews said. "This whole experience has been wonderful.

"Once I get loose, I'll start playing. It will all start flowing.''

The real Duke Crews, however, might not appear until his opponents are no longer teammates.