tigerbrotha12

https://247sports.com/college/basketball/recruiting/LongFormArticle/Graduate-transfers-basketball-recruiting-Justin-Turner-Matt-Haarms-Rapolas-Ivanauskas-Darius-Perry-145995837/#145995837_4 Auburn has offered Justin Kier from George Mason. Also looking at Minnesota transfer Payton Willis. IMO, Kier would be the best option. Slasher/shooter that is 6'4 and has really nice driving ability. Would be a good way to at least fill in some of Samir's shoes. Highlights:

I think you bring in Cardwell, get a sense on what Kuminga is going to do, and then if you think you've got a shot, go after him hard. If you don't get him, you hope that this one-time transfer rule works out, and you have a brand new list of guys come June. Cardwell could be another Wiley type in a couple years, but with a better shot and a higher motor. I think it's a good idea to bring him in and develop him. Cooper, Stretch, Devan, and Cardwell are all AOT guys that have chemistry, and have played against the best. We do need one more scorer. I think its possible Flanagan could be that guy, but he's going to have to improve a LOT this off season. Cambridge is another possibility, but will have to show he can score off the dribble. Finally, Turbo is the question mark. If he turns out to be really solid next season, I don't think a primary scorer is necessarily the route you have to take to finish this class, and you can just look at best available. Problem is, one of these guys have to pan out next season and take a big step, or we won't have that scoring 2 guard like we've had in the past that can create. Need guys who can take it to the hole off the bounce and finish at the rim other than just a point guard. I think Williams can do that, and maybe he can slide to the 3 some if we bring in some of these big guys. Coop can make up for some of it with his ability to find the open man for assisted baskets. I think he's got Harper-level abilities with that already, and might even be better. It's the "get a bucket when you need one" that I would be concerned about. Lots of potential on the team, but not a lot of proof yet. Would also be nice if Johnson would get better but I'm not sure he's more than a 3 and D guy. Overall, seems to me like we are one piece away from being a national contender next season. Let's hope it pans out.

Keondre Montgomery and Nate Tabor. Uncommitted prospects listed on AU’s 247 recruiting board.

Montgomery, Cardwell, Anselem, Sanogo, Kuminga, Tabor, Maker, Sotto... plenty more targets available

The overwhelming confidence from this guy and apparently now Okoro's brother just has me very curious to see what Green says tomorrow.

Now that is a very interesting point...

I read that as he will be needing 5 of them to contribute no matter who they are, but it sure would be nice if he meant he knew who we were getting....

Got a week to go. Tbh, that's plenty of time for momentum to change in bball 'cruitin. We may very well still lead and he's just been telling both staffs he's coming. We've still got Sharife in our corner and I think that's pretty big. None of the AU writers have backed off their picks to AU, so I'm still optimistic. Let's just let the next few days happen! If things are true about Thor, that is one big time get as he can play the 4 and 5 and play right away.

And here we go... Thor to announce Monday...

Per Hooks on 247: "I like what I am hearing right now across multiple areas."

I would tend to agree that we need a guard that can create and score from the 2 spot. I think Cambridge can play the 2 very well, but we do need that Samir/Bryce ability to create and score off the bounce sometimes. Cooper will be very good at that, and Brown will be exceptional from the 3 spot like that. Brown would also give us a big guy to help us on the boards. There's advantages to both. I've held to the opinion of pulling in Green and a grad-transfer big man sets us up for a run next season. I think Brown does the same, but we'll be more of a drive and rebound team with him. Green gives us the ability to drive, kick, and create.

Hoke used to write for 247 so he's got contacts. I'm no insider, but my gut says we only get one of Green/Brown. I don't think we come up empty-handed, but I definitely hope we get em both!

Hoke is pretty plugged in with this kind of stuff. Oh for a Green/Brown finish...

Having a hard time trusting much of what that guy says right now, but I guess he could be right and everyone else wrong. IDK, just have a feeling he's being stubborn about the whole Green thing and putting more stock into the Penny/Miller relationship than he should.

Talking about Haarms from Purdue

I haven't seen any public mention of us reaching out yet. Seems like he'd be a heck of a pull...

Don't want this to come off as sarcastic but check the first page of this thread!

With Cliff headed to Rutgers, and assuming Maker is going pro, I’m thinking we’ll turn up the heat on JT Thor and may offer Cardwell...

That's my thought. Seems to me that there is some media-driven drama unfolding. Evans drumming it up, and Berry flipping to basically say "oh, its getting interesting."

Zach Berry, an Ole Miss writer, switched his pick from Auburn to Memphis for Jalen Green... please please please don't let there be truth to it

LOVE what I see about Jalen! Corey Evans can take THAT

It depends if he has his hammer

Having trouble finding the link, but JT Thor just said he wants to "officially visit Auburn ASAP"..... not sure what the timeline for it would be as we will probably have to wait until at least April to get him on campus, but getting Thor in this class would be a huge get. Jaylin Williams 2.0 methinks.

Open Scholarships currently available: 2 Expected spots: 5-7 Signees 5* PF JABARI SMITH - 6'10, 210 lbs.......#5 Overall, #1 PF, #1 GA (SIGNED) ---> HIGHLIGHTS No doubt about it, this is AU’s number one priority in this class. This 6'10 PF is the #5 player in the country, and many assumed he may be headed towards professional ball rather than college. Jabari was a late bloomer, however, and some have said that this would be reason for him to take the collegiate path instead of the professional right out of the gate. Auburn and Ira Bowman deserve huge credit for some significant work with Smith. Smith's unprecedented rise in the rankings has landed him on the Plains as the highest ranked recruit the Tigers have ever signed. What a win for Bruce Pear's staff to get this generational player. Transfer CG ZEP JASPER (College of Charleston) - 6'1, 175lbs (SIGNED) ---> HIGHLIGHTS Auburn is in need of immediate guard play next season after losing Tyrell Jones, Justin Powell, Jamal Johnson, and possibly Sharife Cooper to transfers and the NBA Draft respectively. The Tigers got a big piece to help make up for it in 6'1, 175 lbs Junior from College of Charleston who should be immediately eligible next season. Jasper was unranked out of high school, but has showed incredible improvement at his first collegiate stop, putting up 15.6 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 2.6 APG this year. Jasper was also named to the All-CAA second team as well as the All-CAA defensive team this past season. Originally from Augusta, GA, the Tigers fended off Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and Seton Hall for his commitment. Transfer PG WENDELL GREEN JR. (Eastern Kentucky) - 5'11, 170lbs (SIGNED) ---> HIGHLIGHTS Do not let the name of his former school fool you, Wendell Green was one of the best guards in the portal, and will introduce himself emphatically in the SEC next season. Three star that ended up at EKU. This kid is special. 16 points/5 assists per game averages and top 3 player in terms of efficiency in the COUNTRY. At 5'11, he'll likely see most of his minutes at point guard, but shoots at almost a 40% clip from three, and thus could see time at the 2 as well. Small, quick guards with a good 3 point shot have thrived under Bruce Pearl at Auburn (Jared Harper, Bryce Brown, J'Von McCormick) and this fits the same bill. Green scored 20+ points in the final 5 games of the season for a 22-7 Eastern Kentucky team. His game will compliment Zep Jasper's game very well, and he's likely to receive starter minutes should no other moves be made. He will, at the very least, be a key contributor for Auburn moving forward. #1 Transfer C WALKER KESSLER (North Carolina) - 7'1 245lbs (SIGNED) ---> HIGHLIGHTS In terms of bodies, Auburn is absolutely fine at center. Three players played a significant amount of their minutes at the 5 this season in Jaylin Williams, Dylan Cardwell, and Stretch Akingbola. That being said, you can never stop upgrading your roster, and plugging in a guy like Kessler does nothing but increase production. Kessler, a former 5* Auburn target, and the highest rated transfer prospect in the country, was thought to be Auburn bound at one point in high school, but chose North Carolina in 2020. While this shocked some at Auburn, Kessler remained committed, and played for the Tar Heels last season. It is thought that Kessler was unhappy with his playing time (as he played under Bacot and North Carolina) and now is seeking to become a premium center elsewhere. This is a gargantuan get for Bruce Pearl and co., and one that has been in the works for 3-4 years with Walker. Kessler has been close to committing to Auburn multiple times, and Bruce Pearl finally got his man. Transfer CG KD Johnson (Georgia) - 6'1, 190lbs (SIGNED) ---> HIGHLIGHTS In what may be the greatest consolation prize of all-time, Bruce Pearl has secured the commitment of one of the best freshmen in the SEC last year in KD Johnson from Georgia. KD was originally recruited by Auburn in the 2020 class, but with Auburn full, decided on Georgia. It seems as if KD always wanted to come to Auburn, and he'll finally get the chance to. As a freshman, Johnson played in only 16 games, but was dynamite in the ones he did play in (similar to Sharife Cooper). In just over 22 minutes per game, Johnson dropped 13.5 PPG, pulled down almost 3 RPG, dished out 1.2 APG, and shot almost 40% from three point range at 38.7%. After news that Scoot Henderson will likely be headed to the G-League rather than to college, some view KD Johnson as merely a "consolation prize" to the 5* 2022 point guard who is likely to reclassify. If he is this, he is one of the best consolation prizes ever seen in college basketball recruiting. Many say KD was Georgia's best overall player last season. He will fit the mold of Bruce-Pearl Shooting guard that likes to run and likes to shoot, but will also give the Tigers some muscle against other guards, as he is well filled out for his size. This is a great pick-up for Auburn Basketball. It is neat to see Pearl and Co. staying on prospects that they initially missed out on, and end up getting them to come to the Plains in the end (Kessler and Johnson now). ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ TARGETS PG Commits: 1 Needs: 1-2 5* Scoota "Scoot" Henderson - G-League 5* PG JD Davidson - Alabama 5* TyTy Washington - Kentucky 4* Nolan Hickman - Gonzaga 4* Daeshun Ruffin - Ole Miss 4* Frankie Collins - Michigan 4* Zion Harmon - Western Kentucky Wendell Green Jr. (Eastern Kentucky) - COMMITTED TO AU!! CG Commits: 1 Needs: 2-3 5* Hunter Sallis - Gonzaga 4* Wesley Cardet - Samford 3* AJ Neal - A good defender, and a very versatile offensive player, Neal was hot on Auburn's radar for a while, but may have cooled down a little as of late. Texas seems to be gaining confidence with Neal. If AU were to miss on some top choices like Davidson, Washington, and Sallis, you could see a circle-back here. Transfer Xavier Pinson (Missouri)- LSU James Akinjo (Arizona) - Baylor Zep Jasper (College of Charleston) - COMMITTED TO AU!! SG Commits: 2 Needs: 1-2 4* Trey Alexander - Decommitted from Auburn on 4/22/21. It is not clear whether he is still considering Auburn or not, but it would seem that the number of guards Auburn is bringing in may have scared him off. It is unclear who will be his biggest suitor. A big blow to Auburn, but not necessarily the worst thing that could have happened. Alexander likely was not going to be the focal point of next year's offense. 4* Chance Moore - Arkansas 4* Brandon Murray - LSU 4* Nisine Poplar - Miami (FL) 4* Shane Dezonie - Vanderbilt SF Commits: 0 Needs: 0 5* Matthew Cleveland - Florida State 3* Sean Durugordon - Missouri PF Commits: 1 Needs: 0-1 5* Jabari Smith - COMMITTED TO AU!! 5* Brandon Huntley-Hatfield - Tennessee 3* Keshawn Murphy - Mississippi State 3* Kok Yat - Auburn is actually probably done this class as of 5/24/21, but Yat has received interest before from Auburn, and is actually very close with JT Thor (cousins). Much like his cousin, the former DePaul commit is a long, lanky power forward that can shoot and reach over everyone. He's probably a bit of a project, but would be a welcome addition to an already stacked 2020-2021 lineup. Noah Gurley (Furman) - Alabama C Commits: 1 Needs: 0-1 5* Jalen Duren - A 2022 reclassification, Jalen Duren was the second ranked player in his original class, and may claim a spot in the top 5 as he reclassifies to 2021. He's a 6'10, 230 lbs monster and that is the best way to describe him. He's a physical force, an excellent rebounder, scorer, and passer, and runs the floor extremely well. This is a prospect that, if you can get him on your team, you take him. It likely will not matter that Auburn already has 3 centers on roster if they can pull Duren. Unfortunately, Duren is widely expected to declare for the G-League, but Bruce Pearl and Co. have at least put in some work here. Although I can't say for certain, Duren does seem like a prospect that will be taken no matter the roster outlook. Listed as a center, Duren can probably play positions 3-5 at an elite level. 5* C Chet Holmgren - Gonzaga 3* Bretner Mutombo - Unrelated to former NBA star Dikembe Mutombo, but you wouldn't know it from his playing style. Bretner is a 6'10, 210lb center that is a fantastic shot blocker, and great rebounder, and a high-potential offensive game. Bretner plays for the AAU team, the Georgia Stars, the former team of Jared Harper, and this is likely the connection the coaches made to the center. He is probably more of a potential guy, but would not be a bad get at all. Difficult recruitment to predict. Offers include Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Ga Tech, Mississippi State, Xavier, and Pittsburgh. Kentucky has also shown interest but has not offered. This recruitment seems to be wide open still. 3* Nate Tshimanga - Really atheltic big man who can run the floor and has excellent ball handling skills for a 5. Could probably play positions 3-5 if needed. Auburn offered pretty recently (June 2020). He may be a back up option to guys higher on the board. Auburn certainly likes him though as he fits Bruce Pearl's run and gun play style. Walker Kessler (North Carolina) -COMMITTED TO AU!!