Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Auburn basketball squad will be practically unrecognizable from last season’s lineup. Though at first it was expected that there would be multiple returners, Chad Baker-Mazara and Jahki Howard hit the transfer portal and Tahaad Pettiford will be testing the NBA Draft waters, meaning that there could be no one returning from last year’s roster.
Of course, the Auburn basketball coaching staff knew they would have a tall task in rebuilding the Tigers’ roster this offseason with so many guys headed out, and they got to work quickly after Auburn’s tough loss in the Final Four.
Keyshawn Hall (UCF) announced his transfer to the Plains ahead of the Tigers’ Final Four appearance, and since then Auburn has added four additional transfers or JUCO players: former Mississippi State center KeyShawn Murphy, former JUCO center Emeka Opurum, former Texas Tech guard Kevin Overton, and former Lincoln Memorial guard/forward Elyjah Freeman. They will join the Tigers’ three freshman signees— Sebastian Williams-Adams, Kaden Magwood, and Simon Walker.
A lot of work has been done to reload the roster, but according to head coach Bruce Pearl, there is still at least one piece the Tigers are looking for before they finish recruiting.
“We’re probably looking for one more impact player,” Pearl said during the Auburn radio broadcast of the Tigers’ baseball game against Georgia Tech, per Auburn Undercover. “I think somebody else on the inside… KeShawn Murphy can play 4 or 5. Emeka (Opurum) is going to be really good, but I don’t know how early in his career he’s going to be there. We probably need another center. And then we’ll pretty much be done.”
It’s the most comprehensive roster rebuild in Pearl’s career, but the Auburn basketball staff is the team that can execute it.
