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Next Years Team


AuburnNTexas

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Because of the NBA Combine we probably won't know for sure who is returning next year.  The outcome of the NBA combine and what the players decide will determine if we will be a good team or a great team next year.

Spencer will return will be solid but is better as a backup player. Tough defense, shot blocker, good rebounder, will take the charge, improved free throw shooter - limited offense.  Gives us depth at both 4 and 5 and always plays hard. Is getting better at staying out of foul trouble.

McLemore - How well he heals will be important - Great shot blocker and defender, Percentage wise one of our best 3 - point shooters, cuts to basket and jams, - I expect continued improvement on his game - I am hoping he adds a mid-range jumper.

Okeke - With Herron gone I would not be surprised for him to become our go to scorer - Solid 3 point shooter but not great, can shoot mid range jumper, drives to basket and jams and finger rolls both, has a mid range jumper and needs to learn to drive and pull up with it if he does with his size will be unstoppable, Good rebounder and big body

Dunbar - flashes of brilliance and a head case at times both. I think he will be better than many think with Herron gone and if Purifoy does not return. If Purifoy returns he will be similar to this year. Plays good d and rebounds ok.

Harper - the General of the offense - hope he does well at combine but comes back. His return will go a long way to determine how this team does next year. Without him we will need Doughty and Brown to step up with him we will be a mid to top tier SEC Team.

Murray - More of the same does the dirty work plays  well against bigger players, Rebounds well, Scores 10-14 points a game.

Bryce Brown - assuming healthy will be a little better than last year as he gets better each year. Great on ball defender, great shooter can get hot and carry a team for a few games. Ball handling skills have improved year to year. Needs to get away from end of year habit of keeping the ball and dribbling to much. Showed he can score with the 3, step back jump shot off dribble on both 3 and mid-range has added a pull up jump shot and will slash to the basket.

Doughty - should provide help at PG, SG and SF I heard he is a great on the ball defender, Drives well and can score off the drive not sure about his shooting.

Purifoy - When healthy we have seen glimpses of how good he can be he is a long SF with pretty stroke and the ability to drive and score, has the size and speed to be a great SF rebounder and defender. Assuming he has improved as all other players seem to under Bruce if he returns we will have an elite 3 and I would expect to see Okeke playing a lot of 4 cutting down Murray's minutes.  This would allow us to be bigger than last year as at 6'7" is 2 inches taller that Herron and Okeke at 6' 8" is 5 inches taller than Murray. He can also bring the ball up court as a point forward taking some of the strain of of PG with Mitchell gone. He is a key piece we need next year.

Wiley - He comes back and Harper and Purifoy come back with the addition of Doughty and we are in the top 10 teams in the country maybe even a top 5 depending on team chemistry as he provides the inside game we need when we are cold from outside. He will be a strong defender, rebounder and shot blocker.

I feel pretty good that we will see both Harper and Purifoy returning to team after the combine. Originally I though Wiley was gone but lately I am not seeing him in draft predictions going 1st rd or even early 2nd round if that stays the same I think we have  about 50% chance of him returning. If he shows out at the combine he is gone. The question I have is how much has he improved while practicing with Auburn this year. If he has developed some real moves around the basket drop step, turn around jump, catch ball down low pass out and reset for better position than he is gone.

If Wiley does not come back but Harper and Purifoy do we will have a solid 9 man rotation that is bigger than last year and we should be able to overcome the loss of Herron and Mitchell and actually be a little better. I expect to see more of Okeke and Dunbar and less of Murray which will make me sad as Murray is an inspirational player.

 

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The future looks bright for the Mens BB; wonder who Pearl is looking at as far as future recruits, what position is he looking to sign and is it a problem we don't have any commits yet?

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This stuff keeps up and BP will be holding open try-outs on campus by this summer. 

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I'm personally a big fan of AU having players that are good enough to consider the NBA. While the lack of draft worries over the last decade was nice.....i much prefer to have a team that can win a few games.

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How many spots will be have open next season scholarship wise? We are bleeding out of players.

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This is a good read that puts some perspective and comfort going forward in what's going on here right now. Even with an almost worst case scenario, we return the most experience ever in the Pearl era - and as for depth, there are 68 grad players looking for a home!

http://www.oanow.com/sports/college/auburn/basketball/men/resetting-auburn-s-roster-outlook-after-recent-departures/article_4e5fdaa8-3db1-11e8-9b99-8b6e95f9baf5.html

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1 hour ago, aucanucktiger said:

This is a good read that puts some perspective and comfort going forward in what's going on here right now. Even with an almost worst case scenario, we return the most experience ever in the Pearl era - and as for depth, there are 68 grad players looking for a home!

http://www.oanow.com/sports/college/auburn/basketball/men/resetting-auburn-s-roster-outlook-after-recent-departures/article_4e5fdaa8-3db1-11e8-9b99-8b6e95f9baf5.html

No doubt we can fill a roster but that is no way to build a team or program....spent a decade or more doing that......and most GT players are role player types.    Really need to keep the guys who have been playing together for a couple years.

 

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I followed the link to Grad Transfers in the article above and I reviewed some of the Forwards and Centers that will be available.  I put together a list of a few I think might help our team I have no idea if we are looking are talking to any of them. Also stats can be mis-leading as some are playing against weak competition.

Wyatt Walker from Samford  6'9" 240 teams like Wisconsin and NC State have been recruiting him  has shown a solid inside game.

Ryan Luther Pitt 6'9" solid scorer and rebounder has inside and outside game

Abdul Lewis South Alabama and NJIT 6'10" 225 pounds very good rebounder originally from South Alabama area

Jack Williams Pacific 6'8" 220 shoots better fro 3 than from 2 range probably not a great fit

Micheal Finke 6'10" 235 very good 3 point shooter

Novak Topalovic 7' 230  ISU from Serbia (might open some doors to European players) 10pts game 6.3 rebounds

Femi Olujobi    6'8" 233 North Carolina A&T  about 16 pts a game and 7.7 rebounds

Brent Hibbits 6'8" 230 Michigan 17.5 PPG and 11.3 RBG a stud I have seen him play would be a great fit.

I glanced at a few of the available guards there are some good one available. Again no idea who we might be looking at.

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23 hours ago, AU64 said:

No doubt we can fill a roster but that is no way to build a team or program....spent a decade or more doing that......and most GT players are role player types.    Really need to keep the guys who have been playing together for a couple years.

 

You are correct but in today's world with so many players leaving early and transferring if you have a solid nucleus which we still should have a couple of the right players could make the difference between and ok season and a good season maybe even a great season. Picking up a forward like Hibbit from Michigan or the Fordham guard could get us over the hump until next years recruiting class comes in where we will definitely need a great class.

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3 hours ago, AuburnNTexas said:

I followed the link to Grad Transfers in the article above and I reviewed some of the Forwards and Centers that will be available.  I put together a list of a few I think might help our team I have no idea if we are looking are talking to any of them.

Good list but when guys like those decide to move while they still have eligibility, I always wonder about motive...especially the guy from Michigan which made it to the final four.    But no doubt, one or more of the big guys might give Spencer some relief ....especially since it's hard to know for a while how well AMc will do with his recovery and rehab. 

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These Jokers need to man up. We were going to be highly ranked and have a Target on our backs.... Instead these guys are bailing to the D league. Don't they realize that next year will give them a better shot. So disappointing.

Come on coach Pearl!!! Let's go win

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