Desi Sills Committed to AU...transfers to Arky St.

[slyinsocal 831]

Darn it! We NEED another guard. There's still a few uncommitted 3 & 4 star prospects (based on their HS rating I assume) in the portal. Doesn't mean they still are. Might have to take a chance on one of them. I could be wrong, but I doubt any of them have the kind of top level D1 experience like a Desi Sills.

Edited June 8, 2021 by slyinsocal

[Rednilla 5,383]

2 hours ago, slyinsocal said:

Darn it! We NEED another guard. There's still a few uncommitted 3 & 4 star prospects (based on their HS rating I assume) in the portal. Doesn't mean they still are. Might have to take a chance on one of them. I could be wrong, but I doubt any of them have the kind of top level D1 experience like a Desi Sills.

If worst comes to worst, we don't NEED another guard. We have three guys who can play point guard (not including Flanigan) and at least 2 more who can manage shooting guard if needs be, maybe 3 depending on how Moore develops. It would be really nice to have another guard, but it's not a complete necessity.

[slyinsocal 831]

Arizona State's Alonso Verge Jr might be worth a gamble. 6'2" 170 lb SG. Grad transfer, I believe.  2 year juco, then 2 years at ASU. Averaged 14 points at ASU. 2020 Pac12 Sixth Man of the Year during which he scored a career high 46 of ASU's 56 points in a blowout home loss to Saint Mary's (96-56 good lord). Not a great 3 pt shooter (33%), mostly a driver/slasher/finisher. Good FT 80%. Decent assist #s (3.8), but 2.4 turnovers. A surprisingly good rebounding guard (3.9 last year) and defender (1.3 steals, .02 blocks). So this kid contributes in a lot of ways. He might fit in and excel if surrounded by better players and not expected to shoulder the load like he was at ASU. ASU fell to 11-14 last year after going 20-11 his first year.

[slyinsocal 831]

32 minutes ago, Rednilla said:

If worst comes to worst, we don't NEED another guard. We have three guys who can play point guard (not including Flanigan) and at least 2 more who can manage shooting guard if needs be, maybe 3 depending on how Moore develops. It would be really nice to have another guard, but it's not a complete necessity.

Understood. Just my personal preference. Particularly after the disaster we went just through.

[Rednilla 5,383]

35 minutes ago, slyinsocal said:

Understood. Just my personal preference. Particularly after the disaster we went just through.

Well, we won't be in the same position as we were last year unless a lot happens. Last year, Bruce made the mistake, or maybe wasn't able to recruit because, of having just one guy who was really comfortable as the primary ball handler, and then having the NCAA play with Coop's eligibility for no reason other than they felt like it...we were behind the eight ball. This time around, we have a true PG who has no eligibility hang ups, plus another guy who has handled the point a fair amount in college, plus a third guy who was a PG as a recruit but ended up at the 2 for UGA. So instead of having to teach someone to play the point if Plan A goes awry, we already have readymade Plans B and C.

What I'm saying is that we're in much better shape now, even if Sills doesn't get in and we don't get another guard, than we were at this point last year.

[Paladin 3,305]

 

[augolf1716 21,102]

well damn it to hell

[toddc 13,194]

Transfer guard Desi Sills will not join Auburn basketball team

ByMARK MURPHY 40 minutes ago

Share6 Comments

AUBURN, Alabama­–Desi Sills, who planned to transfer from the University of Arkansas to play for Auburn for the 2021-22 basketball season, will not be joining the Tigers. Sills announced on Tuesday that he will transfer to Arkansas State University, which is located in his hometown of Jonesboro. 

Sills led his high school team to back-to-back state championships before signing with the University of Arkansas. He planned to transfer to Auburn, but complications with his academic eligibility to play for the Tigers for the 2021-22 season led to him deciding to return to his hometown to play for the Red Wolves.

"I've always been a huge fan of Desi," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. "I love his toughness and wish we would've had a chance to coach him. It was in Desi's best interests academically to pursue a different opportunity other than Auburn."

Auburn’s coaches saw Sills score his collegiate-high of 23 points as the Razorbacks opened the 2020-21 season with a road win over the Tigers. Sills also produced career-highs that night of eight field goals made and 15 field goals attempted.

For the rematch at Arkansas in January, the guard finished with career-highs with eight free throws made and four offensive rebounds while scoring 22 points while fueling a comeback victory for the Razorbacks.

Sills, a 6-2, 200-pound guard, has three years of experience playing the Southeastern Conference. He started 47 of his 98 games with the Razorbacks and averaged 7.7 points 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 turnovers per contest. He made 43 percent of his field goals, hit 103 three-pointers at a 35.4 percent success rate and made 67.1 percent of his free throws while playing for the Razorbacks.

Desi Sills is shown in action for the Razorbacks. (Photo: NCAA Tournament)

 

Last season Sills started 15 of his team’s 32 games and averaged 7.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists with 51 assists and 34 turnovers. He played an average of 20.8 minutes per contest.

Sills was planning to join center Walker Kessler and guards Zep Jasper and Wendell Green, Jr. as transfers into the Auburn program for the coming season.

Kessler, who is 7-1, 245, averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while seeing an average of 8.7 minutes of court time per contest as a freshman at the University of North Carolina. The former McDonald’s All-American led Woodward Academy in College Park to its first Georgia state basketball championship as a high school senior and was named the state’s Mr. Basketball.

Jasper, who is 6-1, 175 from Augusta, Ga., averaged 15.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season at College of Charleston. Originally from Laney High in Augusta, Ga., he earned second team All-Colonial Conference honors this past season.

Green, who is 5-11, 170 pounds, averaged 15.3 points and 5.0 assists per game this past season as a freshman at Eastern Kentucky. A native of Detroit, he earned first team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors after playing as a high school senior at La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana.

6COMMENTS

*** Subscribe: Receive the latest Auburn intel and scoops***

The transfers will join an Auburn team that will include five-star Jabari Smith, who is 6-10, 210 pounds from Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Ga. He is rated as the No. 2 power forward prospect in the nation by 247Sports and the  No. 5 overa

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,652]

Just a really bad occasion for everyone involved. Second hand embarrassment honestly 

[NoALtiger 3,849]

This seems like an issue that would have been looked at and addressed long ago. Should not have been a surprise and if it was an issue then there wouldn’t have been a need for him to commit to us to begin with. Seems like somebody dropped the ball. 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,652]

55 minutes ago, NoALtiger said:

This seems like an issue that would have been looked at and addressed long ago. Should not have been a surprise and if it was an issue then there wouldn’t have been a need for him to commit to us to begin with. Seems like somebody dropped the ball. 

I know it has almost 0 to do with the basketball program, but we did lose out on a 4 star Mr. Alabama back bc we forgot how many games he played. I can never live that down 

[Maverick.AU 13,279]

Welp….

[AUcivE09 582]

But ALdotCom said he flipped his commitment from us..........

[AuburnNTexas 7,134]

I really like Desi Sills I wish we could have made it work.  This hurts but is different then last year as we have a variety of people who can play PG and SG this year. I want to drop one more name at PG that was not mentioned, the Walk-on Michael Whitmore.  I really think he could be a walk-on that can contribute. He is small but super quick great ball handling skills and plays tight to ball handler out front.  I wish I could watch some of the pickup games the BBall team will play this year and see him on the court with our other players then I would know if what I see is real or if I am just full of it.

Edited June 9, 2021 by AuburnNTexas

[Maverick.AU 13,279]

Still can’t get over the fact that this wasn’t seen and taken care of beforehand 

[Rednilla 5,383]

9 hours ago, Maverick.AU said:

Still can’t get over the fact that this wasn’t seen and taken care of beforehand 

I can't get over the fact that they can't find a workaround. Sucks for all parties involved...except Arkansas State, I suppose.

[keesler 5,924]

1 hour ago, Rednilla said:

I can't get over the fact that they can't find a workaround. Sucks for all parties involved...except Arkansas State, I suppose.

He may not have had the grades to work with, who knows?  Auburn can only do so much, the student has to bring in an acceptable GPA.  

But if his the grades met Auburn's standards a workaround could've been accomplished in a flash, IMO.

[Rednilla 5,383]

Just now, keesler said:

He may not have had the grades to work with, who knows?  Auburn can only do so much, the student has to bring in an acceptable GPA.  

But if his the grades met Auburn's standards a workaround could've been accomplished in a flash, IMO.

I was under the impression that it was a problem with having the right credits to apply toward a major at Auburn, not that his grades were subpar...

[keesler 5,924]

14 minutes ago, Rednilla said:

I was under the impression that it was a problem with having the right credits to apply toward a major at Auburn, not that his grades were subpar...

I'm under no impressions.  I'm just saying IF he ended up with a couple of D's at Arkansas then they wouldn't have transferred in at Auburn.  

The strange part to me is that this issue wasn't detected earlier on Auburn's part?   Why did it become an issue after the end of spring semester at Arkansas? 

AND IF he had sufficient grades then in all likelihood Auburn would have bent over backwards to transfer in his credits for his major of choice OR helped him change majors to something in line with his Arkansas major.

Exactly what major does Arkansas AND Arkansas State offer that Auburn doesn't have an equivalency? 

 

[AUGoo 2,659]

30 minutes ago, keesler said:

I'm under no impressions.  I'm just saying IF he ended up with a couple of D's at Arkansas then they wouldn't have transferred in at Auburn.  

The strange part to me is that this issue wasn't detected earlier on Auburn's part?   Why did it become an issue after the end of spring semester at Arkansas? 

AND IF he had sufficient grades then in all likelihood Auburn would have bent over backwards to transfer in his credits for his major of choice OR helped him change majors to something in line with his Arkansas major.

Exactly what major does Arkansas AND Arkansas State offer that Auburn doesn't have an equivalency? 

 

Good point.

This has all happened after Spring semester grades have come out.

[Rednilla 5,383]

18 minutes ago, keesler said:

AND IF he had sufficient grades then in all likelihood Auburn would have bent over backwards to transfer in his credits for his major of choice OR helped him change majors to something in line with his Arkansas major.

This is the most confusing thing for me. Maybe you're right, and it's a grades thing. Or maybe that quip about him majoring in hog callin' is for real, and it's only available in Arkansas...

Anyway, time to move on. I do have to wonder if Bruce is going to try to get another guard, or if he's just going to go with what he's got and not worry about trying to add anyone else. I mean, I can't imagine a pure PG would want to come, with Wendell and Zep already lined up, and I have my doubts about how many guys in the portal now want to come in and fight with KD for minutes at the 2. 

As I've said, though, even if we just move on with the 11 we've got, we should be perfectly fine. Cardwell, Stretch, Johnson and Green are the only players who can't really play multiple positions very well. Zep can play 1 or 2, Cambridge can play 2 or 3, Flanigan can play 2 or 3, Moore can play 3 or 4 (and maybe a little 2?), Jabari can play 3-5, Jaylin can play 4 or 5, and I feel pretty sure Kessler could play the 4 if needs be. Sure, it'd be nice to have another guard, but as long as we don't sustain multiple injuries, we won't be in bad shape.

[steeleagle 2,945]

1 hour ago, Rednilla said:

This is the most confusing thing for me. Maybe you're right, and it's a grades thing. Or maybe that quip about him majoring in hog callin' is for real, and it's only available in Arkansas...

Anyway, time to move on. I do have to wonder if Bruce is going to try to get another guard, or if he's just going to go with what he's got and not worry about trying to add anyone else. I mean, I can't imagine a pure PG would want to come, with Wendell and Zep already lined up, and I have my doubts about how many guys in the portal now want to come in and fight with KD for minutes at the 2. 

As I've said, though, even if we just move on with the 11 we've got, we should be perfectly fine. Cardwell, Stretch, Johnson and Green are the only players who can't really play multiple positions very well. Zep can play 1 or 2, Cambridge can play 2 or 3, Flanigan can play 2 or 3, Moore can play 3 or 4 (and maybe a little 2?), Jabari can play 3-5, Jaylin can play 4 or 5, and I feel pretty sure Kessler could play the 4 if needs be. Sure, it'd be nice to have another guard, but as long as we don't sustain multiple injuries, we won't be in bad shape.

Now I'm wondering if the 4* SG out of OK would have stayed signed if Sills was not able to come before he changed his signing?

I think we are in a little better shape than what happened w/ the Powell/Cooper/Turbo loss all during the season. 

We have a good PG, a good combo guard, and a good shooting guard. The only thing would be nice to add is still a good outside shooter, even if he is not a great ball handler, since we now have 3 good handlers coming in. 

[Rednilla 5,383]

4 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

Now I'm wondering if the 4* SG out of OK would have stayed signed if Sills was not able to come before he changed his signing?

I think we are in a little better shape than what happened w/ the Powell/Cooper/Turbo loss all during the season. 

We have a good PG, a good combo guard, and a good shooting guard. The only thing would be nice to add is still a good outside shooter, even if he is not a great ball handler, since we now have 3 good handlers coming in. 

Well, of course it would be great to be able to bring in a sniper, but we've already got several "good" outside shooters. In fact, I would say everyone on the team (except Cardwell and Stretch) is at least decent, if not good, at shooting from the outside. How many guys are there in the portal shooting better than 40% from outside? Because if memory serves me correctly, we've got several guys in the 35% range.

[ellitor 33,080]

6 hours ago, steeleagle said:

Now I'm wondering if the 4* SG out of OK would have stayed signed if Sills was not able to come before he changed his signing?

@steeleagle Highly unlikely. KD Johnson committed to AU after Alexander decommitted. KD committing would have likely drove him off too.

[ellitor 33,080]

9 hours ago, keesler said:

I'm under no impressions.  I'm just saying IF he ended up with a couple of D's at Arkansas then they wouldn't have transferred in at Auburn.  

The strange part to me is that this issue wasn't detected earlier on Auburn's part?   Why did it become an issue after the end of spring semester at Arkansas? 

AND IF he had sufficient grades then in all likelihood Auburn would have bent over backwards to transfer in his credits for his major of choice OR helped him change majors to something in line with his Arkansas major.

Exactly what major does Arkansas AND Arkansas State offer that Auburn doesn't have an equivalency?

@keesler Has nothing to do with grades per se. It has to do with the major. Desi was close to finishing his degree in Recreation & Sports Management but AU does not offer that program so upon further review AU does not accept quite a good bit of his credits towards a degree. Arky St on the other hand has the program & accepts a lot of his credits.