Joining Wofford and St. Joe’s with head coaching changes weeks before the 2025-26 season are the Auburn Tigers, who lost one of, if not the most successful, coaches in program history. Bruce Pearl amassed 701 total wins in his career, including 371 at Auburn, and achieved a pair of Final Four appearances, most recently this past season. before opting to leave.
The decision to retire before the start of the season sets up his son, Steven Pearl, to be the next head coach for the next five years. However, it’s not a guarantee that all of the current players will stay with him. That’s due to the new rules, which trigger an automatic 30-day window for players to transfer immediately without restrictions.
Of course, it’s easier said than done at this point, with classes already starting and a potential lack of NIL funds for players from other teams being available. Still, there’s a chance some players could decide to leave, which would greatly impact Auburn’s chances to repeat.
Here are five players whose teams would be highly interested in targeting.
Tahaad Pettiford
The former five-star prospect had a strong freshman year, averaging 11.6 ppg and nearly three assists per game. He’s set to be the next lead guard for them and a consensus national breakout candidate. Some other preseason-ranked teams could use Pettiford, but he could be better off staying to get the spotlight.
Abdul Bashir
The 6’7 guard is one of the top JUCO players in the 2025 class, averaging over 27 ppg at Casper College, shooting nearly 40% from deep. His brother, Abdi Bashir Jr., transferred to Kansas State this offseason and could be a candidate to get Abdul if he were to leave in the next 30 days.
Elyjah Freeman
If Bashir is the top JUCO newcomer, Freeman, a 6’8 guard/wing from Lincoln Memorial, is viewed as the top D-II transfer. He averaged around 18 ppg last season and is a quality-level scorer. Several high-major teams were after him the first time around and would likely be again if there was still room available.
Keyshawn Hall
Hall was a top-tier transfer pickup this offseason, leading UCF with 18.8 ppg and 7.1 rpg last year, including a 40-point effort against Arizona State. He’s already been on four teams in four years, so Hall leaving wouldn’t be viewed as a surprise. It may come down to whether or not another team still with funds can offer a lead role.
KeShawn Murphy
Murphy is a 6’10 center who averaged 11.7 ppg and 7.4 rpg at Mississippi State. He’s a proven starting big man, something that came with a premium price this offseason. There are still a number of high-major teams who could use more depth inside, so why Murphy isn’t the biggest name on the roster, he could be the most important if he were to enter the portal.