NCAA Basketball: Preseason top 25 power rankings for 2022-23 season

Without Walker Kessler and top-3 NBA Draft pick Jabari Smith around, the Tigers are expected to take a drop. But don’t expect it to be a big one, as they were able to land a couple of key frontcourt players to replace them.

Kessler led NCAA Basketball in blocks last season, and Auburn was able to land the 3rd-leading shot-blocker in Johni Broome. The 6’10 transfer from Morehead State averaged 16.8 ppg and 10.5 rpg last season, along with 3.9 blocks per game. 12 of them came in a single game against Ut-Martin, where he was one rebound away from a triple-double. Broome also was the Ohio Valley Defensive Player of the Year and will take that with him to the SEC.

Joining Broome in the frontcourt is five-star freshman forward Yohan Traore. He’s a skilled 6’10 big man with great athleticism and mobility. He’s an offensive threat and can hold his own on defense. The only question is whether or not he can play power forward next to Broome or if his ideal position is center in college. 6’11 center Dylan Cardwell will be the first big off the bench, giving Auburn a solid frontcourt rotation.

The Tigers also return all three key guards in Zep Jasper, K.D. Johnson, and Wendell Green. Both Johnson and Green averaged over 12.0 ppg last season, while Green had over five assists a game. Four-star freshman point guard Tre Donaldson also joins the fold too. The question with the key guards is their efficiency, as both Johnson and Green also shot under 39% from the field overall.

Auburn will have some competition on the wings as well, between top-40 incoming freshman Chance Westry and returning Allen Flanigan, who dealt with injuries but averaged over 13 ppg the year prior when he was healthy. With Smith now gone, the scoring production will have to be shared and these two are both capable of averaging double figures as well.