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2015 SEC Basketball Recruiting Haul: Auburn Tigers

By Bryce Bennett

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Summer basketball workouts are in full swing for all SEC schools as teams begin to develop the skills, toughness, mindsets and chemistry necessary to win this upcoming season. SEC basketball will be fresh-faced this season, but talented, so this series will focus on each SEC team and the new crop of players coming in the 2015-16 season. Today’s focus is on the Auburn Tigers, who could be projected to jump into national prominence with a solid foundation in place, a proven winner in coach Bruce Pearl and a solid 2015 recruiting class. You can check out yesterday’s look at the Missouri Tigers here.

Auburn Tigers
(15-20, 4-14 in 2014-15)

Horace Spencer (6’8″, 225 lbs) – Forward
Rivals: 4/5 stars
ESPN: 85/100
247 Sports: 97/100
Scout: 4/5 stars

Spencer just oozes with athleticism and can be a very valuable rotational piece for the Tigers this coming season. As the video shows, Spencer, a native of Nevada, projects to be a “jack-of-all-trades”-type player with the ability to play the small and power forward positions. His most immediate college-transferable skill is his ability to handle the ball and play a sort of “point forward” position for the Tigers.

This type of role will allow Spencer to use his play making ability to create and score over opponents. Also, when he does not have the ball in his hands it will allow him to roam around the perimeter and hit open jump shots. Finally, there is also the potential for Spencer to excel at offensive rebounding with highlight-reel put backs and transitional opportunities. Look for him to make a few plays this season that may just end up on a “Top 10” list.

From an improvement angle, Spencer could stand to bulk up a little bit, as most freshmen do. However, entering at 225 lbs. is not a bad start. Opponents will try to take and rough him up in the post, so he will need to develop low-post defensive techniques and ensure that he is blocking out and not just trying to jump over people. He will be able to turn this against opponents on the offensive end by bringing out slower defenders on the perimeter and taking them off the dribble.

This is going to be an exciting player for Tiger and SEC fans. His energy, confidence and athletic abilities make him an intriguing prospect for Bruce Pearl. Expect his playing opportunities to increase throughout the season as he learns to hone and develop his athleticism towards winning plays for the Tigers this coming winter and spring.

T.J. Dunans (6’5″, 185 lbs.) – Guard
Rivals: 4/5 stars
ESPN: N/A
247 Sports: 96/100 (top-ranked JUCO in the country)
Scout: N/A

Tiger fans, meet your K.T. Harrell replacement. Harrell filled it up last year averaging almost 19 points a game, but with Harrell graduated, Auburn went out and got Dunans to assume that role. He can fill it up as well. Regarded as one of the top JUCO players in the country, Dunans averaged almost 23 points per game for Columbia State Community College in Missouri. He chose Auburn over offers from Penn State and West Virginia.

His 6’5″ frame allows Dunans to shoot over opponents and the length to drive to the basket for easier shots. In another positive, Dunans appears to be an able-bodied to be a solid rebounder, as he averaged over eight rebounds a game for Columbia State Community College last season. This will be beneficial for an Auburn team that ranked near the bottom in Division I last season in rebounding and in rebounding margin differential.

Dunans will have to react to the defensive needs of big-time Division I basketball, but he possesses the tools necessary for the  transition. Expect him to jump into the starting line-up next season as a two-guard and be a major focal point in Bruce Pearl’s efforts to build the Auburn basketball program.

Danjel Purifoy (6’7″, 210 lbs) – Forward
Rivals: 4/5 stars
ESPN: 85/100
247 Sports: 95/100
Scout: 4/5 stars

Purifoy is Pearl’s other consensus Top 100 player coming out of high school. He projects as much more of a wing-type player than the aforementioned Spencer. He will still have the ability to guard  multiple wing positions and might be able to bang down on the low block at times. His defensive ability and creativity finishing at the basket are two of his greatest strengths.

If he develops to his fullest potential, he could be a defensive stopper that Tiger fans will love, while other SEC fans might loathe. His ability around the basket comes in the form of skilled, creative lay-ups and not shying away from contact. My projection is that he will earn significant minutes this season and will develop into a nice player for coach Pearl.

From an improvement standpoint, there are concerns about his Purifoy’s character. He was kicked off his high school team his senior year for disagreements with the coach and missed practices, but Auburn presents a new and fresh opportunity for Purifoy. He will also need to improve his outside shot making. The potential is there for him to be a corner knock down three-point shooter, but he will need work and a quicker release on the next level.

Other Newcomers:

Bryce Brown (6’2, 180 lbs.) – Guard

Alex Hicks (6’9″, 200 lbs.) – JUCO Forward

New Williams (6’2″, 160 lbs.) – Guard

Tyler Harris (6’9″, 232 lbs) – 5th Year Graduate Transfer Forward (eligible this season)

Kareem Canty (6’0″, 185 lbs) – Transfer Guard from Marshall (eligible this season)

Next: Head-Scratching Moments from the NBA Draft

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