@Aubawn’s AU Basketball Recruiting Notebook: What’s next after Sharife Cooper’s commit?

A few of Auburn’s top basketball targets have committed elsewhere recently, and the Tigers also received a commitment from a five star guard a couple of weeks ago. On top of that, the Tigers’ two highest ranked targets still remain uncommitted.

While those two might be considered long shots, Auburn still has a chance to complete one of the best signing classes in school history.

Auburn landed a commitment from Sharife Cooper a few weeks ago, allowing the Tigers to check off their top priority in the 2020 class, but an argument can be made that Auburn missed out on its next three top priorities.

Walker Kessler committed to UNC on his first visit there, Jaemyn Brakefield committed to Duke just a day after receiving an offer, and even Brandon Boston Jr committed to Kentucky on a visit to Lexington not too long ago and all three were seen as top priorities for Auburn, behind Cooper, at some point.

Even with Bruce Pearl adding Cooper (one of the most popular players in 2020) to his team of recruiters, Auburn still has its hands full in 2020, despite the targets the Tigers missed on.

In order of (247 ranking)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ guard Jalen Green (3)

Green is the consensus no.3 player in the class of 2020, a potential no.1 draft pick and visited Auburn for the football game against Mississippi State. 

Green’s relationship with Cooper is crucial to any chance that Auburn has. Cooper visited Auburn with Green for the Mississippi State game and committed with Green and Auburn’s 2019-20 team in attendance.

Green can score from anywhere on the court in isolation, catch-and-shoot and fast break situations. His highlight dunks and ability to score would make him a great addition to any team.

Auburn offers him the ability to play alongside Cooper and a coach who can offer him a role that would give him the offensive-freedom necessary to market himself as a no.1 pick.

Memphis and Oregon are both heavily in the mix and perceived to have a better chance at landing Green by most national experts.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ forward Greg Brown (8) 

Brown is a consensus top-10 player, and like Green, Brown is a player who could raise his draft stock thanks to Auburn’s offense.

If Brown was to commit to Auburn, he’d be put into Pearl’s point-forward position at the four, like Chuma Okeke and Tobias Harris have played in the past. Pearl’s Green light offense and tendency to let his players play through mistakes could benefit Brown in the long run. 

Brown is another long shot, with the Texas native being a presumed Texas-lean. Brown is slated to visit Auburn for the Iron Bowl, a weekend that Auburn fans can hope gives Brown the same feeling Kessler got at UNC. Memphis, Kentucky and other top programs are also still in the mix for Brown.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ guard Cameron Thomas (24)

Thomas is a guard who plays at Oak Hill Academy and was originally scheduled to visit Auburn the same weekend as Green and Cooper.

He is supposed to reschedule his visit, but no new details have surfaced (to my knowledge) about that. 

Thomas would be another high powered guard option at Auburn who could play alongside Cooper, but he is believed to be an LSU lean by many.

If Thomas reschedules his Auburn visit, and enjoys it, the Tigers could have a shot at moving up his list.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ guard Matthew Murrell (45)

Murrell is a guard from Tennessee who visited Auburn for the Kent State football game alongside New Jersey native Cliff Omoruyi.

Murrell is a scoring machine who would fit right into what Pearl likes to do on offense. 

Murrell has been a long time Vanderbilt lean. Corey Evans picked him to land at Auburn at one point, but has recently changed his pick to Ole Miss.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ center Cliff Omoruyi (47)

Omoruyi is one of the most physically dominating players in the class of 2020 thanks to his 6’11” 230 pound frame and his 7’6” wingspan.

Omoruyi is fluid and athletic for his size, which would allow him to run the court and make an impact in transition as well as in offensive sets at Auburn. 

Omoruyi is from New Jersey, the home state of 2020 commit Sharife Cooper, and Cooper could play an important role in Auburn landing the big man.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ center Jaylin Williams (69)

Williams, who is not the same Jaylin Williams that is currently playing for Auburn, is a more stereotypical center for Pearl.

Williams stands at 6’9” and his ball handling and perimeter skills allow him to pull opposing centers away from the basket and attack in transition. 

The Arkansas native has recently announced that he will visit Auburn for the football game against Ole Miss, along with fellow Arkansas native and AAU teammate Chris Moore. 

Williams was believed to be an Oklahoma State lean at one point, but has seemingly backed off of that. Arkansas could be seen as the next most likely destinations with the Hogs having a step up on Auburn. Teams like LSU and Texas A&M are also heavily involved. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ guard Jayden Stone (101)

Stone was, at one point, a top-60 recruit and a potential reclassification candidate for the 2019 class. Stone stayed in 2020 and transferred to Sunrise Christian in Kansas.

Stone has dropped in the rankings since then, and hasn’t (publicly) visited Auburn or been visited by Auburn coaches since June, although his recruitment has been quiet.  

It has been rumored that Stone wants to play point guard in college. With the players Auburn already has committed and on campus, Stone might not see Auburn as his ideal place to play in that role. 

Stone recently visited Saint Louis University, who helped Cody Ellis (who, like Stone, came to the United States from Australia) develop into a professional basketball player. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ forward Chris Moore (126)

Auburn was one of the first schools to heavily recruit Moore. Unfortunately for the Tigers, teams like Ole Miss, Memphis and Arkansas have also been in the mix since the beginning.

Moore might not be as much of a national name as Brakefield and Brown, but the forward from Arkansas would fit into the point forward role extremely well and could likely contribute from day one. 

Moore could become one of the Tigers’ top targets, with Brown and Moore being the only two clear cut power forwards that Auburn has already hosted and visited in the past.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ center Dylan Cardwell (157)

Cardwell is related to Auburn’s defensive line coach Rodney Garner and was in the stadium for the Kick Six.

Cardwell now plays at the same high school as Cooper and played on the same AAU team as Cooper and current Auburn player Devan Cambridge this past summer.

Cardwell could be a player that receives more interest from Auburn this fall.

Other names to keep an eye on:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ wing, 2021’s no.1 player, Jonathan Kuminga, has been rumored to be a potential reclassification candidate. Kuminga is the type of player who looks like he could transition to the NBA straight out of high school, and his offer list reflects that. 

Auburn landing Kuminga is the definition of a long shot, but Pearl and the Tigers were Kuminga’s second offer and like Cooper, Boston and Kessler have proven, Auburn can stick around until the end when they’re able to build long lasting relationships.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mike Miles, a guard from Texas, was an AAU teammate of Greg Brown last season. Auburn offered Miles and made his Final Five, but neither party has shown much more interest than that.

*The 2020 class is an important class for Auburn, and the Tigers already have two important pieces of that class on board. Power of Dixieland will continue following any recruiting updates, but we will also start to preview more of this coming season in the next few weeks.