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Auburn basketball: 2019-20 season review and 2020-2021 first-look preview

By Rob Wolkenbrod

Isaac Okoro #23 reacts with Samir Doughty #10 of the Auburn Tigers (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Isaac Okoro #23 reacts with Samir Doughty #10 of the Auburn Tigers (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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J’Von McCormick #5 of the Auburn Tigers (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

Previewing 2020-21

The 2020-21 Auburn basketball roster is already guaranteed to be different. Okoro already announced his NBA draft intentions, creating yet another shakeup at the top, including losing a talented freshman. Wiley will leave as a senior, as well, so Pearl will lose his man in the middle and leader in blocked shots.

On top of them, Doughty will graduate after his best collegiate season.

Beyond those three, other seniors are set to leave. So, again, Pearl must turn to different faces to lead the way.

J’Von McCormick will be one of the expected risers. The six-foot guard averaged 11.6 points, 4 rebounds and 4.5 assists this past season, and even in over 30 minutes per game, those numbers could grow with a greater role in 2020-21.

Devan Cambridge, after limited time as a freshman, should step up in the backcourt, too. He showed 3-point prowess, with 34.2 percent from behind the arc in 2019-20.

However, those two will be joined by fresh faces from Auburn’s 2020 recruiting class that ranks 18th nationally and fifth in the SEC 247Sports. The headliner of the class is No. 19 recruit, Sharife Cooper, who will join the backcourt. Point guard, Justin Powell is another addition. While it’s obviously unknown what kind of impact these players will make, they enter a situation of minimal clarity with how the 2020-21 Auburn basketball roster and rotation will shape up.

With ample changes, Auburn seems unlikely to fulfill 25 wins again. Perhaps 20 is even far-fetched. Instead, it may be a retooling year for Auburn basketball, which won’t excite Tigers fans but will be necessary for the program’s future.

Next. Way-too-early Top 25 for 2020-2021. dark

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