Auburn, Bruce Pearl add commitment from 5-star power forward Yohan Traore
Five-star power forward Yohan Traore has committed to Auburn.
Traore, On3’s No. 6 overall recruit in the 2022 class, announced his decision Thursday afternoon.
Traore, who de-committed from LSU after the firing of Will Wade, chose Auburn over Michigan, Texas Tech and Gonzaga.
“I chose Auburn because the family atmosphere,” Traore told AuburnLiveOn3. “I love it. It’s amazing.”
Traore also has strong bonds with coach Bruce Pearl and assistant Wes Flanigan.
“The relationships that I have with Bruce Pearl and Coach Wes are really good,” Traore said. “I love them. They explained to me that they are going to coach me to get better as a player on the court and also get better as a person off the court. I loved that.”
Flanigan was the point man in Auburn’s recruitment of Traore.
“Coach Wes was a big factor for me,” Traore said. “He’s so cool. I’ve been talking to him since the beginning of my recruiting process. He’s been really, really pushing for me to come to Auburn.”
Auburn ‘just felt right’ to Traore
Traore visited Auburn earlier this month and watched as the Tigers prepared for their first-round NCAA Tournament game against Jacksonville State. It was then that Traore realized Auburn would be his choice.
“I went to see practice and I really liked it,” Traore said. “I also saw campus. It’s big and I liked it, too. It just felt right to me.”
The five-star recruit is expected to help Auburn replace the loss of Jabari Smith, Jr.
Smith was the No. 7 overall recruit in the 2021 On3 Consensus before signing with Auburn and leading the Tigers to the second round of the tournament. Smith is projected to be a top-2 pick in the upcoming NBA draft.
The success Auburn had with Smith and others at the 4-position also factored into Traore’s decision.
“It was big for me the way they use the 4-spot and the players that have had success there in that spot,” Traore said. “Guys like J.T. Thor, Jabari this year, Isaac Okoro and Chuma (Okeke). It’s a great opportunity for me to do the same.”
Traore plans to sign with Auburn on April 13 and report to campus in late May.
Traore, who is listed at 6-foot-10 and 225 pounds, is the No. 2 power forward in the country, according to On3.
Traore is the third in Auburn’s 2022 class, joining four-star point guard Tre Donaldson and four-star combo guard Chance Westry. Both Donaldson and Westry signed in November’s early period.
