KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Fatmata “Fats” Janneh is a 6-foot-2 senior forward originally from London, England. She came to Tennessee by way of St. Peter’s and Texas A&M, and in her lone season with the Aggies she averaged 11.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game while starting every game. Lady Vol fans have already seen what she can do. Janneh was a big reason A&M beat Tennessee 82-74 in Knoxville on Feb. 19, 2026, scoring 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting with 12 rebounds and four assists.
Now she’s one of the pieces Kim Caldwell is counting on after a 16-14 season that many fans considered the worst in program history. Janneh joined Mike Keith on the Mike Keith Show to talk about her path from London to Knoxville, how her game fits Caldwell’s philosophy and more. See everything said below.
How basketball in the UK developed for her and led her to college in the States
“When I first started playing in England, basketball was not as advanced as it is now. There’s a men’s league, BBL league, British Basketball League, then there’s the Women’s British Basketball League. Then we also have a Division One league. We have a Division Three league. I played in the Division One league at Barking Abbey. And that’s how I got seen by my first school, St. Peter’s, my head coach, Jen Leedham.
“I played with her sister, Jo, which was the assistant coach, London Lions, which was in the WBBL, and then just happened to play for her for two years. The best, great two years. They mentored me, helped build me from what I was when I first got to the States. A whole different new scene, very different from London, but it was kind of similar because New Jersey and London’s pretty similar. They did a great job. I have nothing bad to say about those guys over there.”
What she had to learn when she arrived at St. Peter’s
“I had to learn a lot. I’m not the player I am today. I came, I was lacking a lot of discipline. They fine-tuned a lot, a lot, a lot. I’m a completely different player than what I am now.”
Whether the transition was overwhelming
“It was, but they did a great job helping me manage that. Again, I’m a long way away from home. The first time I ever left my family behind, but they understood that, and I think that’s why it was a really big deal for me to go there, because they was from England too, and that link just felt like home. They just did a really, really good job of making me understand, I know you’re away from home, but we’re here for you, anything you need mentally. We had good resources over there as well, because there was a lot of international athletes over there too.”
What stuck with her from playing at Food City Center with Texas A&M, and if it played a role in her choosing Tennessee
“When we went, obviously, the fan base, incredible. They really come out and show out for the Lady Vols. That was a big eye-opener for me when we came. I would say that played a bit of a role.”
What did Kim Caldwell’s pitch
“It was going to be very hard. From the jump she told me it was going to be very hard. It’s probably going to be the hardest I’ve ever worked in life, and trust me, it’s been that.”
What part of it has been hard
“Everything, from physically, mentally, because we go through so much. But I love it though, because it’s all going to be worth it in the end. And we’re all together. All my teammates, we’re all going through it together.”
What she knew about Tennessee women’s basketball growing up in England
“I didn’t know anything until I came to the States. I didn’t really know much about it till I transferred to A&M, because then we had the Play for Pat game. And then after Joni, the head coach, teaching me about Pat Summitt and what she brought to women’s basketball, and how she’s a really, really big deal. And then after entering the portal, coming on my visit and them just, again, showing me the Pat statue and how much she meant to women’s basketball.”
How her game fits Caldwell’s up-tempo, defense-first style
“My game speaks for itself. I could play fast. I could rebound the ball. I can bring the ball up the floor. All stuff that Kim said that she needed when I came on my visit. And I felt like I could do those things and more. I’ve been fine-tuning my game, my three-point shot. I’m just working to be the player that not only she wants me to be for the team, but a player that I want to be, that they’re going to need at the next level.”
On if she prefer’s to be called Fats
“Yes, it’s a nickname. I’ve been called that ever since London.”
What this Lady Vols team is going to be like
“Very gritty. We work very hard. It’s going to be a breath of fresh air. We’re going to be a breath of fresh air. We’re going to play very, very hard every game. Bring something new to the table that people may have not seen before. And outrun our opponents.”
Who she enjoys playing with the most
“That’s a hard question, because I love my sisters. But Kennedy, Kaylene and Rylie T. For sure.”
How has it been adjusting to the groupings and mass substitutions
“Of course, at first it was like, whoa, coming in and out. But after a while, you get used to it. It’s just basketball.”
What she thinks of Knoxville
“I love it. Love it here. It’s a college town. It’s not too big, but it’s big enough. There’s downtown. You can go downtown, walk around downtown. I like walking around near the gym. You can just walk to the gym. The scenery is amazing. I love it here. I didn’t think I was going to love it.”
Whether the East Tennessee accent has been a challenge
“I understand everyone pretty well. Sometimes I have to repeat myself, and that’s okay, because I’ve been told that I speak quite fast with the accent. My teammates at first didn’t understand me, but then after a week, they understood me.”
The team’s nickname for Kim Caldwell
“Honestly, we call her Big Boss. We’ll be in practice and we’re asking serious questions and we don’t say Kim, we’d be like, yo, Big Boss, what do you want us to do? Yeah, that’s her name. Of course she’s okay with it. She’s Big Boss.”
