Auburn transfer portal: Top 5 targets for Bruce Pearl as Tigers re-tool after Final Four loss
Auburn and Bruce Pearl have a hurry to reload a top roster. The Tigers reached the Final Four but lost a ton of veteran standouts. Six of the seven top scorers on Auburn's team were seniors. While a pair of portal additions are already confirmed, Auburn still has work to do.
The players already on board are power forward KeShawn Murphy from Mississippi State and small forward Keyshawn Hall from UCF. Auburn also signed JUCO center Emeka Opurum to help fill the massive shoes of Johni Broome on the block. But there's plenty of work to go.
Here are five possible portal options for Auburn in the current class.
Top 5 Auburn portal targets
5. Eddie Lampkin, Syracuse (?)
Lampkin has played for TCU, Colorado and Syracuse. The big issue here is that he's played five seasons of college basketball already, but he is allegedly trying to obtain a waiver for another season. Last season at Syracuse, the 6-foot-11 Lampkin averaged 11.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. If he's eligible, he'd be a nice pickup for the Tigers.
4. Elyjah Freeman, Lincoln Memorial (TN)
Freeman is an interesting prospect. A late-blooming athlete from Florida, Freeman was a Division II star last season and has entered the portal after his freshman season. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 19.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Freeman shot 46% from 3-point range. He may take some work, but with three remaining seasons of eligibility, he'd be a nice pickup for Auburn.
3. Jamir Watkins, Florida State
Watkins is a complicated recruit, as he has put his name in the NBA Draft and might end up going pro. The 6-foot-7 forward comes off a big season with an awful Florida State team. Watkins averaged 18.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season. With 1,626 points, Watkins is an experienced college scorer who could help fill some of Auburn's offensive needs.
2. Rodney Rice, Maryland
A 6-foot-4 guard who had a big sophomore season at Maryland, Rice feels like a great fit for Auburn. Last season, he averaged 13.8 points per game while making 37% of his 3-point tries. Rice would become especially key if freshman Tahaad Pettiford opts for the NBA Draft, which he has entered while maintaining college eligibility. If Pettiford goes, Rice becomes a must-get for the Tigers.
1. Ian Jackson, North Carolina
Something of a surprise portal entrant, Jackson was a massive recruit a year ago for Hubert Davis and North Carolina. In his freshman season, Jackson averaged 11.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. Jackson shot 40% from 3-point range, but found himself playing less as Carolina's season wound down. Wherever he lands, Jackson is an immediate game-changer. Auburn could be a great fit.
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