KD hitting the transfer portal

[Randy4AU 109]

Good luck, KD. 

[TigerOne 1,148]

18 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

I will miss KD's enthusiasm on the floor.  He really was fun to watch and I will miss him.  I wish KD nothing but the best moving forward.

True, only player that made you feel confident and scared at the same time. The dude is fearless and a guaranteed foul on him or the opponents.

[Viper 3,132]

24 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Eh I thought he stepped it up on defense relatively speaking down the stretch. He just can’t guard bigger guys at this point, which is fine. As long as he can handle 1s and some 2s, it’s not the biggest thing. When the 2-5 is as good defensively as we’ve typically had, him becoming a 0 on that end will be enough for us.

I don’t know how much more he needs to add to become great. He has shown potential to be a good secondary facilitator, shooter, and has the pieces of a good lay up package. As far as potential (not production), he’s shown you everything that can equate to a mid 10s PPG guard. If you can get him to be like 14 PPG, 3 APG, and around 35% 3FG on good volume, that would be fantastic when you consider that they expect Pettiford to be another dynamic scorer and what Denver showed down the stretch. 

Right now, it’s only hope his shot will return. A cold game? No biggie. Two consecutive cold games? Beginning a concern. Dude went a half season being ice cold.

After the road game at Vandy on 1/17/24, he hit double digits one time in 18 games. Many of those games he started. In that 18-game stretch, he hit 2+ threes only twice.

[aubiefifty 16,823]

1 hour ago, JDUBB4AU said:

Thank you KD and good luck and best wishes 

I guess I’ll have to change my avatar pic 

how are we going to know you? i depend on that pic and i am old............

[aubiefifty 16,823]

i will miss KD. i just bought an auto rookie card of his. i love hustle and heart and i always felt he was better as a D guy. but often his coming into the game seems to fire the team up. i wish him the best.

[81spacetiger 157]

Glad to see mostly positive thoughts to KD; I feel the same.  

That said, I thought he had made a big commitment with his tiger tattoo on the arm.  Maybe he will go to another team with tigers as a mascot?

[keeperoftheplains 133]

Good luck KD.  I enjoyed watching you play.  Also, I wish Malik Dunbar had another year of eligibility.

[JerryAU 1,679]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

i will miss KD. i just bought an auto rookie card of his. i love hustle and heart and i always felt he was better as a D guy. but often his coming into the game seems to fire the team up. i wish him the best.

KD carried that intimidation factor that I loved; folks are always a little afraid of the crazy, kamikaze traits. 

[aucom96 1,623]

2 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

High ceiling.  The kid is going to get better.  His shot will come back and he'll get stronger to withstand contact on drives to the rim.  It would be crazy to give up on him.

I think the likely cost to NIL plus need for playing time makes this a difficult guy to handle as a project. He isn't physically at the level to play PG here and that's too important to take a risk on his shot coming back. Maybe move him to SG, but between the two, I think Donaldson is a better option today and Jones better at the other guard position. If we go out and get a solid PG in the portal, hard to see Holloway wanting to stick around or us shell out the NIL bucks to keep him. 

[NoALtiger 3,867]

Loved his hustle, could live without some of the other stuff. I wish him nothing but the best but I’m thankful another spot has opened up. Hopefully Bruce will bring in someone that can help shore up our deficiencies. 

[JerryAU 1,679]

2 hours ago, TigerOne said:

True, only player that made you feel confident and scared at the same time. The dude is fearless and a guaranteed foul on him or the opponents.

KD throwing up a brick at the end of the Yale game was hard on the stomach.  

Edited March 26 by JerryAU

[DAG 33,997]

Loved his energy. Good luck. 

[AU9377 4,979]

3 hours ago, Bigtrain333 said:

You also have to factor in Nil now.  If Holloway truly makes the most on the team that could play into why it makes sense for him to move along.

Yes.  This is all about NIL.  KD can likely find a team willing to put more money in his pocket.  I don't blame him for that.  It is the system we live in now.  I don't like it, but I can't blame the players for optimizing their income when they have the chance to do so.

[tinman1 487]

2 hours ago, Viper said:

Right now, it’s only hope his shot will return. A cold game? No biggie. Two consecutive cold games? Beginning a concern. Dude went a half season being ice cold.

After the road game at Vandy on 1/17/24, he hit double digits one time in 18 games. Many of those games he started. In that 18-game stretch, he hit 2+ threes only twice.

He was pressing too hard to score.  And he was too hard on himself when he did miss shots.  After a year in the weight room & more development he will be fine because he is a natural shooter. 

[aubiefifty 16,823]

Auburn guard K.D. Johnson to enter transfer portal

Published: Mar. 26, 2024, 11:24 a.m.

2–3 minutes

Auburn practices before facing Yale in NCAA Tournament

Auburn guard K.D. Johnson is entering the transfer portal according to a joint post on his Instagram account.

Johnson became a fan favorite during his three years at Auburn for his emphatic, charismatic and frantic play on the court.

He came to Auburn as a transfer after his freshman year at Georgia. In his first year with the Tigers, Johnson started 31 games and scored 12.3 points per game. Johnson received a preseason All-SEC second team nod heading into the 2022-23 season, his second year with Auburn.

His playing time gradually decreased over the next two years, however, as Johnson was moved to the bench.

Frequently, broadcasters and head coach Bruce Pearl called Johnson a “psycho” on the court for the energy he brought off the bench.

Johnson took part in senior day festivities this year and has one remaining year of eligibility as a graduate transfer.

Johnson is the first Auburn player to depart following the sudden end of the 2023-24 season following an upset loss to No. 13 seed Yale in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The only players out of eligibility on the roster were Jaylin Williams and Lior Berman. As things stand with the departure of Johnson, Auburn’s remaining rotational guards on the roster are Aden Holloway, Tre Donaldson, Denver Jones, guard/forward combo Chad Baker-Mazara and incoming freshman Tahaad Pettiford.

Auburn has already contacted several guards in the transfer portal.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

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[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,680]

1 hour ago, JerryAU said:

KD throwing up a brick at the end of the Yale game was hard on the stomach.  

That was such a scramble drill situation; one of those things that speed your mind (and shot) up a ton. His 3 was off all last year really, but there was no one else to take the shot at that point in time 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,680]

59 minutes ago, AU9377 said:

Yes.  This is all about NIL.  KD can likely find a team willing to put more money in his pocket.  I don't blame him for that.  It is the system we live in now.  I don't like it, but I can't blame the players for optimizing their income when they have the chance to do so.

You don’t think any of it is about him being the likely fifth guard and already getting minimal amounts of minutes in some games? It has to be because of NIL?

[GTNupe11 2,034]

4 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

I remember a lot of these same things being said of Tre last season.

That said, I think you will see some shifting around where Denver runs point more and allows Aden to be more of a shooting guard next year.

I don't remember these things being said about Tre. Tre certainly got better from Freshman to Sophomore year but you can't really compare him and Aden. Tre performed reasonably well as a Freshman. Aden? Not so much...

Denver needs to be a SG, not a some-timey PG. Bruce already tried that out of desperation and it never really stuck. Bruce just needs to go get an older PG in the portal or just let Tahaad and Tre run the point. Aden can play more SG and switch off on defense. 

[keeperoftheplains 133]

Has KD already graduated?  If I had already graduated and wasn't more or less guaranteed a starting spot then I would look for something else as well.  I loved AU when I was there but I was ready to move on to the next chapter when I walked across that stage.  BTW, I only shook his hand once but Dr. Martin had huge hands.

Edited March 26 by keeperoftheplains

[cole256 17,084]

I wasn't a fan of his game. I think he was one of the most over hyped guys on the team. 

But I appreciate all his effort and him playing on the team and wish him the best.

[cole256 17,084]

5 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

I remember a lot of these same things being said of Tre last season.

That said, I think you will see some shifting around where Denver runs point more and allows Aden to be more of a shooting guard next year.

If Denver plays point we are going to be in for a long season

[Eagle-2 247]

KD drove me nuts at times, but I had to admire his moxie. Give me a guy with his cajones that is about 6'6-6'7, and I'll pick him first every time. 

[aubaseball 2,633]

41 minutes ago, cole256 said:

I wasn't a fan of his game. I think he was one of the most over hyped guys on the team. 

But I appreciate all his effort and him playing on the team and wish him the best.

My sentiments exactly 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,680]

43 minutes ago, cole256 said:

If Denver plays point we are going to be in for a long season

I could see him slotting down to 3, esp if they run Jakhi at the 4, but him at the 1 full time would be nutty. That’s something they ran this year because they didn’t have a good defensive option at the 1, not bc he’s legitimately a PG. 

[AuburnNTexas 7,158]

Fearless, energetic and when playing under control a major asset. He could really fire up the Jungle which is one of the reasons the Jungle was such as asset. At time the energy was out of control, he jacked up stupid shots, and sometimes his fearlessness caused turnovers when he went among the trees. I lved KD and this year there was lot more of the good KD then the bad KD. He will be missed and I hope he finds a great team and soes well next year.

His leaving will give us another scholarship that we can use in the portal. Ideally we need a big who can play both 4 and 5 that is assuming Cardwell comes back and Broome doesn't. We also need a bigger PG who can score and play defense and another SG similar to Denver Jones.