Auburn Basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Tigers

LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 19: The Auburn Tigers logo on a pair of shorts during a first round game of Maui Invitational college basketball game against the Xavier Musketeers at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 19, 2018 in Lahaina Hawaii. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

1 of 5

Auburn Basketball Julie Bennett-USA TODAY Sports /

The 2020-21 season was one to forget for Bruce Pearl and his Auburn basketball squad as they finished the year one game below .500 and 7-11 (10th place) in the SEC basketball landscape when it was all said and done. With some key additions out of the transfer portal though, they’re set to get back on top of things in 2021-22.

Walker Kessler (UNC), Wendell Green Jr. (Eastern Kentucky), Zep Jasper (College of Charleston), and K.D. Johnson (Georgia) headlines their 2021 recruiting class that includes just one freshman in Jabari Smith Jr.

Smith is their highest-rated recruit ever, following on the heels of lottery pick Sharife Cooper. Cooper took the SEC by storm this past season averaging 20.2 ppg, 8.1 apg, and 4.3 rpg across just 12 games. Smith should be a much bigger burden for the Tigers in the frontcourt given what he can do and should make an instant impact.

Allen Flanigan, Devan Cambridge, and Jaylin Williams are all back but with the two of the top four scorers in Cooper and Justin Powell both gone, there’s plenty of opportunity for a new face to step in and take on the burden.

There’s depth in the frontcourt again and there’s a ton of experience in the backcourt, which explains Auburn basketball’s preseason rank in the AP Preseason Poll at No. 22. Here’s an early outlook and season preview for the Tigers for the 2021-22 season.

Home/Auburn Tigers