In his first season as head coach last year Steven Pearl led Auburn to the NIT championship. Postseason success is great and all but it was clearly a disappointment missing out on the Big Dance, especially coming off a trip to the Final Four in 2025. There were many different faces on the roster led by a first-year head coach, so the drop off wasn’t the biggest surprise.
The roster will look different once again, but outside of leading scorer Keyshawn Hall’s departure there’s a lot to be excited about in Auburn. Guards Kevin Overton and Tahaad Pettiford both return after averaging more than 14 points per game last season while a few other depth pieces hope for bigger roles, including rising sophomore guard Simon Walker.
What it looks like
There has also been a flurry of additions over the recent months, including a few international prospects like 7-footer Narcisse Ngoy from France. The Tigers added a five-pack of talent from the transfer portal, getting former Vanderbilt guard George Kimble II and a ton of frontcourt depth. Thomas Dowd averaged a double-double on a great Troy team last year while Adam Olsen was very effective with South Alabama, but there’s another name we’re eying heading into 2027.
He may not have put up the same kinds of numbers as Dowd last season, but Owen Freeman becomes an important piece of the frontcourt for Auburn. A 6-10 forward out of Moline, Illinois, he was Big Ten Rookie of the Year at Iowa and put up pretty great figures in an injury-shortened sophomore season. Freeman then transferred to Creighton last offseason and it just wasn’t the right fit for him or the program.
The magic within for Freeman
If Freeman can recapture some of what he showed with the Hawkeyes then he can be a major asset for the Tigers. Across those 19 games as a sophomore he put up 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, playing a starring role on a Big Ten team, not some mid-major against weaker interiors. His strength, size, and potential on offense should have Auburn fans excited if he can get back to his earlier potential.
With Overton and Pettiford returning in starring roles at the guard spots, the Tigers really needed a boost around the basket. There’s no shortage of new pieces for those roles but Freeman is the one who can really shine with this opportunity. He’s getting a fresh start and can hopefully thrive in a system more built to his skillset, and any Auburn success this season will clearly come down to more than just guard play.
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