Auburn Basketball: Tigers receive another boost with Allen Flanigan return

Auburn Basketball is coming off a down year and lost their best player to the NBA Draft. Things are looking up for the team, however, and the return of Allen Flanigan should mean the Tigers will be back in the NCAA Tournament next year.

Flanigan, a sophomore small forward on the team last year, told ESPN that he plans to return for his junior season. He was projected to be a potential second-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, so his return was far from certain.

He had a massive sophomore season, averaging 14.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, a big leap from his freshman season. His trajectory suggests he could be one of the best players in the SEC in 2021-22.

Flanigan’s biggest area of growth last season came as a shooter. He significantly improved from the free throw line, jumping from a 45.9 percent conversion rate in 2019-20 to 77.6 percent. His three-point shooting jumped similarly, from 14.3 percent to a more respectable 33.8 percent.

Less heralded are the gains Flanigan made on the defensive end, particularly the defensive boards. His 15.5 defensive rebound percentage ranked in the top 20 in the SEC. So did his 122 total defensive rebounds and 149 total rebounds.

Flanigan’s return is the most significant development in Auburn’s offseason yet. But Auburn has been scoring victories left and right, particularly on the transfer trail.

Zep Jasper, formerly of the College of Charleston, officially committed to the school this week. The guard will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Jasper averaged 15.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, more than doubling his scoring average from a season ago. He is also a hawk on the defensive end, with 67 career steals to his name.

Earlier in the offseason, Auburn secured transfer Walker Kessler from North Carolina. The former UNC big man didn’t get much run with the Tar Heels, averaging 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game during his freshman season.

But Kessler is a former top-25 recruit and has the potential to be one of the best big men in the sport. He’ll receive much more opportunity to succeed at Auburn than he did during Year 1 at Chapel Hill.

This week brought even more positive news on the transfer market for Auburn. Former Arkansas guard Desi Sills decided to transfer within the SEC from the Razorbacks to the Tigers.

Sills was a strong contributor for Arkansas, averaging 7.5 points and 1.0 steals per game. He could stand to improve his three-point and free throw shooting, but he should immediately pay dividends for Bruce Pearl’s program.

The departure of Sharife Cooper to the NBA Draft was an expected development. Sure, it would’ve been great for Cooper to return and actually play a full season for the Tigers, but that was simply never going to happen. His loss could have hampered the program.

Instead, Auburn has found numerous victories, fortifying their own depth chart from within the program, as well as from veterans looking for a new place to play. All of those wins should help Auburn make it back into the NCAA Tournament next year.