NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Must-snag commitments in the 2020 class

Auburn needs Sharife Cooper

PG | 6-foot-0 | 160 lbs | No. 18 overall

After making just one NCAA Tournament appearance in the first 17 years of the 21st century, Auburn has been absolutely incredible over the past two seasons. The Tigers have not only reached the Big Dance in back-to-back years but they also made a Final Four appearance during this last campaign. Head coach Bruce Pearl was clearly the right hire a few years ago and the future looks quite bright. Considering the program lost Bryce Brown and Jared Harper this offseason, the Tigers are in need of securing an elite backcourt talent in the 2020 class.

This is where highly-touted recruit Sharife Cooper may enter the fold. The 6-foot-0 point guard is one of the best in the entire 2020 class as a dominant floor general. He commands the court at an extremely high level with regards to his playmaking as well as 3-point shooting. Cooper averaged 25.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game on the Nike EYBL circuit while pairing with BJ Boston (UK commit – No. 13) to form a sensational backcourt.

With regards to his recruitment, Auburn has long been rumored to be the favorite to land the talented point guard. The Tigers currently hold all 13 crystal ball predictions for Cooper and his future commitment could have a major impact on the future of the program. Shooting guard Justin Powell (No. 150) is Auburn’s only current commit from the 2020 class and Cooper would pair tremendously well with him.

The Tigers are also actively recruiting several frontcourt targets. Coach Pearl will need to finish off this recruitment with a commitment from Cooper in order to take those next steps, though. They are the clear favorite and need to close the deal.