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Bruce Pearl isn’t sugarcoating it. After guiding Auburn to its second-ever Final Four, the Tigers' head coach has a blunt message for fans and analysts trying to figure out what’s next for his squad.
“We’ll be the hardest team in the league to predict,” Pearl said in a recent appearance on The Sideline with Andy Katz. That’s not just coach-speak. Auburn is practically starting from scratch.
The entire starting five from last season is gone. Miles Kelly, Denver Jones, Johni Broome, and Dylan Cardwell all ran out of eligibility. Chad Baker-Mazara, who added flair and versatility to the lineup, transferred to USC. What’s left is a team filled with potential but surrounded by questions.
Pearl is fully aware of the skepticism. He admitted that Auburn could finish anywhere from fourth to tenth in the SEC standings. “I understand why people don’t know what to expect. We have so many new pieces,” he said.
One of the few familiar faces returning is sophomore guard Tahaad Pettiford. After a strong freshman campaign where he averaged 11.6 points, 3 assists, and just under 23 minutes per game, Pettiford will be expected to take on a much larger role. Sharing ball-handling duties with him will be freshman Kaden Magwood, a dynamic recruit ranked 62nd in the 2025 class by On3.
“Kaden’s a very talented freshman,” Pearl said. “He’s a good player, and I also thought he was an underrated kid coming out of high school. And Tahaad will obviously be asked to do more.”
That theme of competition and flexibility carries across the roster. Pearl name-dropped several new names who are expected to contribute right away. Among them is Kevin Overton, a transfer from Texas Tech who made a name for himself as a reliable three-and-D option. Overton brings postseason experience and a calm presence, two things Auburn will desperately need.
He will be joined in the backcourt by Simon Walker, a top-ranked freshman out of Alabama, and Abdul Bashir, a high-scoring junior college standout who racked up 843 points at Casper College last season. Pearl believes both have the potential to surprise people.
In the frontcourt, Pearl highlighted two players who could define Auburn’s identity. One is Elyjah Freeman, a Division II transfer with raw tools and a strong build. “He’s got an NBA body, and he’s going to be a pro. It might take a year or two, but he’s really talented,” Pearl said.
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The other is Keyshawn Hall, the leading scorer in the Big 12 last year, whom Pearl praised for his ability to get to the free-throw line and create offense. “He wanted to come to Auburn to get better defensively,” Pearl added.
It’s not all newcomers, though. Pettiford will be joined by returnees Blake Muschalek, CJ Williams, Reed Trapp, and Drake Caldwell. None of them played significant minutes during the Final Four run, but their familiarity with Pearl’s system gives them a head start.
Still, it’s Pettiford who holds the keys. His decision to return after testing the NBA Draft waters was a major relief for Pearl, who admitted the coaching staff had already started pursuing international options in case Pettiford stayed in the draft.
For now, Auburn’s season is a blank slate, and that could be a good thing. There’s raw talent, scoring upside, and hunger. What’s missing is cohesion, and Pearl knows that and is embracing it.
“This team will have to grow together fast,” he said. “It’ll be a challenge, but that’s also what makes it exciting.”
With unpredictability comes opportunity. Auburn may be hard to project, but that’s exactly what makes them worth watching.
