HOOVER — Things will be different for Auburn basketball next season. There’s no doubting that, not with five new scholarship players on the roster.
But will things be better? Well, that’ll take some work.
The process of jelling together and building chemistry has begun in summer practices, which got started about a month ago. Returnees such as Johni Broome and Chad Baker-Mazara are looking to build on what they were able to accomplish last season − 27 victories and a conference tournament title − and newcomers like transfers JP Pegues (Furman) and Miles Kelly (Georgia Tech) are hoping to be the necessary additions that’ll push the Tigers into the second weekend of March Madness for the first time since 2019.
Ja’Heim Hudson (SMU) is the other transfer Auburn brought in since the 2023-24 campaign came to a close. Incoming freshmen Tahaad Pettiford and Jahki Howard, who wrapped up this past recruiting cycle as the No. 28 and No. 62 prospects in the Class of 2024, respectively, are also first-year Tigers.
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Pearl has been experimenting with lineups, giving a number of players opportunities with the first unit. Pegues is expected to be the starter at point guard, but both Jones and Pettiford have been competing for time.
The plan is for Pettiford to be in an off-ball role to begin his career, Pearl has been adamant, but that’s not going to stop the five-star freshman from making the most of his opportunties. Pearl noted Tuesday at an AMBUSH event at the Finley Center how both freshmen have been “terrific,” and are pushing veteran players.
Jones makes sense as the expected starter at shooting guard, but Kelly “will be a real factor as one of best guards on our team,” Pearl said.
“(Kelly) carried Georgia Tech to being competitive (last season),” Pearl said. “(He) went into the NBA draft, had a number of really good workouts. Impressed a lot of clubs, but probably wouldn’t have gotten drafted − maybe late second round. Being in college for another year getting bigger, getting stronger, working on a few things at Auburn, will he be more ready in a year?
“But Miles has great length. He’s got real good feel. He can really shoot it from great range.”
Kelly took 78 shots from at least 25 feet away from the rim last season and made 31.2% of them, per College Basketball Analytics. For reference, Auburn’s best 3-point shooters a season ago − Jones and Baker-Mazara − combined to attempt 37 triples from that far out.
Much of the front court remains the same, specifically with Broome and Dylan Cardwell both returning at center. Pearl said Tuesday he may play both big men together, which was done only in two games last season; the duo outscored Indiana 3-0 in the 1:30 it played together in December before it got some extended run against Georgia in February, outdoing Bulldogs by 10 points in 10:35.
Power forward Jaylin Williams was the lone departure in the front court, and Hudson is serving as his replacement. Signs point to Chaney Johnson, who transferred to Auburn last year after three seasons at Alabama-Huntsville, being the starter.
But despite that, and despite his modest stats with the Mustangs last season, Pearl expects Hudson to be a factor.
“We think is better than that. … He’s going to push those guys, he is.”
Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rich_silva18.