It is possible that Auburn’s basketball roster will experience some adjustments in the coming days.
As the curtain closed on the 2024 school basketball season with the crowning of back-to-back UConn Huskies national champions, it’s worth taking a look back at Auburn’s 2023-2024 basketball team.
Although it was a successful season, it ended with a heartbreaking loss to Yale in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. We’ll dive deeper into key additions, key moments, and defining stories, while also giving a recap of SEC Tournament champion Auburn. What does the long-term future hold for next year’s edition of Bruce Pearl’s team?Key additions, returns, exits, and potential goals of the portal will also be discussed in this Dap roundup.
Editor’s Note: Dylan Cardwell said he would be back some time after this story was published.
The way the season ended for the Auburn Tigers was incredibly disappointing, the fact is that every time you hang a banner in the rafters, win a ring, and claim the championship title, you have to be a successful season. Array Auburn was able to accomplish todo. de those things while he’s 27-8 overall, 13-5 in the SEC and ultimately gets a double rest in the SEC Tournament. This double break helped Auburn win its third SEC tournament title. Auburn was left on fire in March, winning six times before retiring in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
At the start of the season, Auburn had question marks in the defensive zone, squandering Zep Jascon and Wendell Green, Jr. and third place with the breakdown of Allen Flanigan. Auburn filled those spots with freshman Aden Holloway (7. 3 game-consistent points) and the addition of CRF pass portal Denver Jones (9. 1 problems per game). The return of Tre Donaldson (6. 7 problems per game) and KD Johnson (7. 1 problems per game) has also stabilized the defensive zone. The No. 3 tie was settled through JUCO’s ranks, with Auburn adding Chad Baker-Mazara (10. 0 problems per game) who had also played at Duquesne and San Diego State. His elite defensive talents and decisive shots were in the Tigers’ season. Lior Berman and Chris Moore also back up to provide intensity on the bench, and Moore started for part of the season until Baker-Mazara repositioned him.
Auburn’s forward zone is considered a strength for 23-24 with the returning trio of Jaylin Williams (12. 4 problems per game), Johni Broome (16. 5 problems per game) and Dylan Cardwell (5. 3 problems per game). the addition of UAH player Chaney Johnson (4. 7 points per game), who played his most productive basketball of the season after Jaylin Williams briefly injured his knee. Cardwell is perhaps the player who stepped up the most on the team, giving the Tigers valuable minutes of rest. the bench with its defensive and rebounding ability. His dunks were a highlight and he has become an emotional leader for Auburn.
Key outings: Aden Holloway, Tre Donaldson, KD Johnson, Jaylin Williams, Lior Berman
Holloway, Donaldson, and Johnson exited through the portal. It was reported that after returning from Spokane for the NCAA tournament, Holloway and the Auburn basketball team had virtually no communication. Its façade through a portal was no surprise. KD and the staff experienced what was thought to be a mutual separation. Donaldson gave no indication, according to sources, that he was dissatisfied and seeking a transfer. The staff would have been surprised by his decision to leave. Jaylin Williams is no longer eligible and has the winningest prize. Player in Auburn program history. Lior Berman has also exhausted his eligibility.
Key additions: Tahaad Pettiford, Jahki Howard
Pettiford is a 5’10 five-star combo guard from Hudson Catholic High School in New Jersey. He is a McDonald’s All-American who is an excellent NHL shooter and scorer. He’s expected to fight for fast game time for Auburn. Howard is a 6’6 four-star guard/forward combo from Norcross, GA and the Overtime Elite program. His athleticism is outside of this global level and he is described as one of the most explosive players in the elegance of 2024. He has won many elite-level dunk competitions and is a performer of the utmost wisdom in elegance.
Top returnees: Denver Jones, Chaney Johnson, Chad Baker-Mazara, Chris Moore
Jones began playing at a high point down the stretch, figuring out exactly what Auburn’s coaching staff was looking for when they pursued him last year. He is expected to start at second guard station, but he is flexible enough to play the role of Deputy Leader. Johnson is the favorite to get the starting job at No. 4, depending on what Broome and Cardwell do. (More on this later) Baker-Mazara’s return was good news for the Auburn staff, as he is named the No. 4. 3 to start. However, Baker-Mazara wants to control his feelings. His ousting in the first round of the NCAA Tournament was a big loss for the Tigers, as Auburn lost not only one of its most level-headed defenders, but also a clutch shooter. Chris Moore is slated to be the replacement at the No. 3 spot, but the tough Hat of him doing everything he can to win is important for any program aiming for a championship. His role should not be underestimated, since his teammates and coaches are very important to the team.
Returning unknowns: Johni Broome, Dylan Cardwell
That’s the biggest question that will need to be answered for next year for Auburn’s basketball program. Everything flows and develops from those two returns. At the time of writing, it’s smart for either of them to come back. Some have warned that Broome is moving up to 4th position, where he is rumored to be most coveted in the pro game. If this happens, it will allow Cardwell to start in position 5. That would give Auburn an experienced and damaging front field. If Broome remains in the No. 5 spot, Cardwell will provide the intensity he so desperately desires in the event of foul trouble. Either way, Auburn is snatching it away from him.
Potential portal targets: JP Pegues, Myles Rice, Wesley Yates III, Jakobe Coles, Danny Wolf
Here are some names that have connected with Auburn on the portal through resources close to the program. No one knows for sure if the interest is mutual, however, it turns out that there are rumors surrounding those Auburn-related names. Auburn will have to compete at point guard with the departures of Holloway and Donaldson. Sources say Auburn would settle for Furman’s team, who averaged 18 points per game for the Paladins last year while shooting 36 percent from 3-point range. line, or rice.
Rice, from Washington state, is more of a slasher, however, he averaged 15 points per game and was named Pac-12 freshman of the year. Pegues is known as the most productive shooter, Rice the most productive defender. Yates is a marksman who entered the portal from Washington and whom Auburn chased all the way to the best school. He was highly coveted on the scouting track two years ago and may be a smart pick as a replacement for Denver Jones.
Coles is a TCU move that averaged 10 points consistent with last year’s game for the Horned Frogs. He’s 6’8 and might play third or fourth. Auburn enthusiasts know Wolf because they saw him play for Yale against the Tigers. Pie Ante averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds consistent with the game and would be a key addition if Broome or Cardwell don’t return. Most likely, Auburn passed the direction of JUCO to get a backup point guard, as they did in the Baker-Mazara case. last year. Two names to watch out for are Braxton Jones, who averaged 19 points per game for Garden City Community College or Darius Robinson, who averaged 18 points per game for Casconsistent with College.