LOL no surprise we still aren't top 20
ESPN doesn't respect BRUCE
Auburn has reloaded as effectively as any team in the country this spring, despite losing star guard Sharife Cooper and freshman JT Thor to the NBA draft and breakout freshman Justin Powell to the transfer portal. Bruce Pearl landed five transfers while also bringing in top-five freshman Jabari Smith. The most significant of the transfers is former North Carolina big man Walker Kessler, a five-star recruit who didn't carve out a consistent role in Chapel Hill as a freshman. Kessler and Smith should form one of the most talented frontcourt duos in the country -- while also being joined by playmaking forward Allen Flanigan and double-figure scorer Jaylin Williams up front. The backcourt received a big boost last month when Georgia transfer K.D. Johnson picked Auburn; Johnson is a dynamic scorer who can make shots from 3. Aside from how quickly the newcomers all mesh, the key will be point guard play. Johnson is better as a pure scorer, but Pearl also brought in transfers Wendell Green Jr. (Eastern Kentucky), Zep Jasper (Charleston) and Desi Sills (Arkansas).
Projected starting lineup:
Wendell Green (15.8 PPG, 5.0 APG at Eastern Kentucky)
K.D. Johnson (13.5 PPG at Georgia)
Allen Flanigan (14.3 PPG)
Jabari Smith (No. 5 in ESPN 100)
Walker Kessler (4.4 PPG at North Carolina)
ESPN doesn't respect BRUCE
21. Auburn Tigers
Previous: Next in lineAuburn has reloaded as effectively as any team in the country this spring, despite losing star guard Sharife Cooper and freshman JT Thor to the NBA draft and breakout freshman Justin Powell to the transfer portal. Bruce Pearl landed five transfers while also bringing in top-five freshman Jabari Smith. The most significant of the transfers is former North Carolina big man Walker Kessler, a five-star recruit who didn't carve out a consistent role in Chapel Hill as a freshman. Kessler and Smith should form one of the most talented frontcourt duos in the country -- while also being joined by playmaking forward Allen Flanigan and double-figure scorer Jaylin Williams up front. The backcourt received a big boost last month when Georgia transfer K.D. Johnson picked Auburn; Johnson is a dynamic scorer who can make shots from 3. Aside from how quickly the newcomers all mesh, the key will be point guard play. Johnson is better as a pure scorer, but Pearl also brought in transfers Wendell Green Jr. (Eastern Kentucky), Zep Jasper (Charleston) and Desi Sills (Arkansas).
Projected starting lineup:
Wendell Green (15.8 PPG, 5.0 APG at Eastern Kentucky)
K.D. Johnson (13.5 PPG at Georgia)
Allen Flanigan (14.3 PPG)
Jabari Smith (No. 5 in ESPN 100)
Walker Kessler (4.4 PPG at North Carolina)
