So several members of the Auburn basketball team -- and a few guys who are not members of the Auburn basketball team -- held a few informal, pick-up games this afternoon inside the Auburn Arena. No coaches were present. Just dudes playing ball.
I plan to do a more detailed review next week, but here are the basics.
C Austin Wiley, a Class of 2017 prospect who is committed to Auburn, is really damn good. He wasn't the best player on the floor today, but he was in the top 3. (I thought Danjel Purifoy and Jared Harper were better.) He doesn't wow you in transition, but he's very quick near the bucket, understands positioning and finishes everything you'd expect him to finish. A fantastic player.
PG Jared Harper was superb all day long. His team never lost. (He had Mustapha Heron and Wiley on his team along with a few recruits.) He's reminiscent of Tajh Shamsid-Deen, though he's a better shooter. He's not a trash-talker, but he's not afraid to interject when something needs to be said.
F Danjel Purifoy wasn't a dominating player today, but you can tell he's got it. Very bouncy. Very aggressive. Very quick. Possibly the most physically gifted basketball player I've ever covered here. I think he still needs to work on toning down his attitude, though this was an informal situation. Maybe he felt empowered to run his mouth more than during, say, a real game or Pearl-led practice.
