Busting Brackets
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College Basketball: Under the Radar Impact Recruiting Classes

By Chris Godfrey

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Auburn Tigers

Joshua Lindsey-USA TODAY Sports

  • F – Horace Spencer (#59 ESPN 100)
  • F – Danjel Purifoy (#64 ESPN 100)
  • G – Bryce Brown
  • G – New Williams
  • SG – T.J. Dunans, (#1 JC 247Sports)
  • F – Alex Hicks (#48 JC 247Sports)

When Bruce Pearl took over at Auburn, he was well aware that a major influx of talent was necessary to turn things around. Consider this six-man class to be both steps one AND two in the rebuilding process. Not only did Pearl add two nationally ranked freshman, he also landed the best junior college player in America. Of the six players that will arrive on campus, at least three (maybe four) of them should become instant starters. In addition, Bryce Brown and New Williams are both talented combo guards that will be able to hold their own as scorers in their first season. One of them will likely end up as the team’s starting point guard by season’s end.

The most intriguing newcomer is obviously Dunans, who arrives with the opportunity to be a true difference-maker for the program. Dunans scored north of 22 points per game in junior college, leading many to believe that he could be the team’s go-to scorer next season.

Auburn’s only key returner is Cinmeon Bowers, a forward who nearly averaged a double-double last season as an undersized presence down low. He’ll now have plenty of help inside, and a couple of capable scorers on the perimeter to keep opposing defenses from collapsing on his head. As a senior, Bowers could possibly benefit the most from the new look that the Tigers will carry into next season.

Outside of Kentucky and Texas A&M, Auburn looks to have the most impressive haul of talent in the SEC. While the conference scrambles to rebuild its basketball profile, this sudden jolt of new blood could immediately vault the Tigers to the middle of the pack, where it wouldn’t take long for Pearl, a master recruiter, to start mining the southern states for the type of talent that allowed him to be a SEC title contender at Tennessee.

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