Bruce Pearl, Auburn being 'patient' while finalizing basketball roster
ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — Auburn basketball‘s search for an elite talent at the “wing” position continues on, with head coach Bruce Pearl preaching patience four days after the spring transfer portal closed.
“We’ve been exploring those options for a while. We’ve been patient,” Pearl said on Monday at the Bruce Pearl For The Children golf tournament. “We’ve lost a few guys we’ve been involved with, and I’d say there are still three or four guys still out there that we are actively involved in. We’d like to get one of them.
“If we got one of them, we’d feel really, really good at that position. Part of it is being patient. Fortunately, there’s some really good options out there. We need one more at that spot.”
WHO THE TIGERS HAVE LOST: “Lost” might not be the most accurate word, but there have been a few “wing” options go elsewhere.
- Florida State transfer Matthew Cleveland committed to Miami. He visited Auburn, and while he was towards the top of the wish list, he wasn’t at the top. Georgia transfer Kario Oquendo committed to Oregon. He was an Auburn target, but academics made his transfer to Auburn not possible. Arizona State transfer Devan Cambridge committed to Oregon after briefly considering a return to Auburn. Again, Cambridge wasn’t the top target for Auburn, and still has to graduate before his second transfer is official.
- Vanderbilt transfer Tyrin Lawrence is Auburn’s top target at the “three” position replacing Allen Flanigan. Lawrence competed in the G League Elite Camp over the weekend, but didn’t earn an invite to the NBA Draft Combine.
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For Pearl, not settling is an important part of the equation when trying to finalize his roster for the 2023-24 season.
“I’m not much of a poker player, but there’s a little bit of that. You just don’t want to settle just to be done with it and take a guy that can’t get you to where you want to be. The league is too good. I’m hoping that when I say patience, we’re not panicking. I hope it pays off,” Pearl said.
Wendell Green Jr. and Allen Flanigan dominated the basketball when they were on the court last season. With both gone, Green Jr. to the professional ranks and Flanigan to the transfer portal, Pearl hopes talented “wing” players are paying attention to what the Tigers have to offer on the court.
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“If there’s a wing out there that likes to score and likes to play with some freedom — Wendell and Al were our two most ball-dominant players. We’ve replaced Wendell with Aden, and Al played a major, major role. He had a great run. You’d like to think that a great wing would be excited about that opportunity. We haven’t had anyone say the magic words,” Pearl said.
STOCKPILING PLAYERS NOT PEARL’S STRATEGY: As noted on Auburn Live in the past, Pearl isn’t a proponent of filling all 13 scholarship positions with “elite” so-called talent.
- Pearl said again on Monday the 11 scholarship number is a good target, with a scholarship or two being given to walk-ons.
- “It makes roster management really difficult. I’ve never been a guy to stockpile players. I don’t believe in 13 guys on scholarship and iron sharpens iron and all that BS. I don’t believe in it. I think you’re putting kids in position to fail. We’re going to put one, or even two guys that walk-ons on scholarship. We’ll make them compete, but they’ll play.”
