Bruce Pearl updates the status of the Auburn basketball roster
ATLANTA, GA. — Bruce Pearl was in Buckhead on Tuesday evening for an Auburn alumni event. Before speaking, he met the media for a few minutes and discussed the current status of the Tigers’ basketball roster.
Quickly recapping, Wendell Green Jr., Jaylin Williams and Johni Broome have entered their names into the 2023 NBA Draft. From speaking with sources, Auburn Live expects Williams and Broome to return, while Green Jr. isn’t expected to return.
“You’ve seen Wendell, Johni, Dylan (Cardwell) and Jaylin all declare,” Pearl said. “That allows them to go work out, eligible to be invited to Chicago for the combine, and that’s a good indicator if you’re going to be drafted.”
Then there’s Allen Flanigan, who remains on the team’s official roster, but hasn’t announced anything public regarding his future plans. Flanigan has declared for the NBA Draft twice in the past according to Pearl, so a third entry would mean Flanigan would have to remain in the draft.
“In Al’s case, he’s already declared twice, and so you can’t declare a third time. If you do, you have to stay in the draft,” Pearl said. “There’s no reason for him to declare anything. Hopefully Al will graduate and then after his graduation will weigh all his options.”
Again, sources continue to indicate to Auburn Live that Flanigan isn’t expected back at Auburn.
Pearl was also asked about former assistant Wes Flanigan and his departure from the program.
“Everybody has to do what’s best for themselves and what’s best for their families,” Pearl said. “We appreciated Wes’ time at Auburn.”
Flanigan is expected to accept an official position on Chris Beard’s staff at Ole Miss.
How is Bruce Pearl adapting to the roster turnover?
With the likely departures of Green Jr. and Flanigan, added with the transfers of Yohan Traore and Chance Westry, there’s no question the Auburn basketball roster will have a different look next season.
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“The landscape has changed, but it’s changed for everybody,” Pearl said. “We have four or five guys that could look professionally, then on average three and a half per team entering the transfer portal nationally. That’s seven or eight and I have 13 on scholarship.
“It forces us to have to continue to work hard in April and May to not only work with your players and help them finish up their spring conditioning and basketball, academics, figure out what they’re trying to do, and then recruit and replace guys you didn’t think you were going to have to replace, and didn’t want to replace. The transfer thing swings both ways.”
Denver Jones and Chaney Johnson are already committed and signed transfers, and the Tigers will add “at least one more, maybe two” according to Pearl. Florida State transfer Matthew Cleveland, Texas Tech transfer Jaylon Tyson will both visit Auburn. The Tigers are also coveting another transfer portal guard that hasn’t been confirmed yet, but is expected to visit Auburn soon.
“Auburn is an incredibly special place and we have worked hard to establish ourselves as a competitive basketball program. We’re going to bring in really good guys that we think can help us be competitive. It forces us to work differently,” Pearl said.
“We’ve had five transfers since the portal opened. We’ve had Walker (Kessler), Johni and Wendell, and then Zep (Jasper) and K.D. (Johnson). All five had awesome experiences at Auburn. It’s worked well for us.”
