Auburn flying high as college hoops signing period begins
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl felt like a winner two days before his team even plays its first game.
The Tigers assured themselves one of the nation’s top recruiting classes when the early signing period began Wednesday. It is headlined by top-10 prospect Austin Wiley, whose parents both starred for Auburn, and includes four-star prospects Davion Mitchell and Chuma Okeke.
“This class is historic,” said Pearl, who is trying to bounce back from an 11-20 mark in his second season with the Tigers. “It started with Austin Wiley, about a year and a half ago, committing to us prior to his junior year. … He had offers from everywhere, but he wanted to be an Auburn man.”
His mother, Vickie, was an All-American for the Tigers. His father, Aubrey, was a star rebounder.
“But Austin could have gone anywhere in the country,” Pearl said. “More importantly, he wanted to lead even before he got here. He knew that his verbal commitment might attract others. … Now he’s going to come here and add to the history and legacy of his father.”
Wiley, Mitchell and Okeke sent in signed letters of intent on the first day prospects are allowed. Some of the biggest names in this year’s class have yet to make their decisions.
Unlike football, where signing day usually represents the finish line, it is merely the starting line in college basketball. The early period doesn’t end until Nov. 16, and some will wait to see how things shake out at other schools before signing a letter of intent in the spring.
Still, the early period gives some barometer for where schools are in their recruiting efforts:
DESERT SWARM
Top-ranked prospect DeAndre Ayton, a 7-footer from Hillcrest Academy in Phoenix, leads Arizona coach Sean Miller’s star-studded class. He was expected to land letters of intent from three more top-100 recruits in Brandon Randolph, Ira Lee and Alex Barcello, and he’s in the running for five-star swingmen Lonnie Walker and Brian Bowen, top guard Hamidou Diallo and big man Brandon McCoy.
PAC-12 POWER
Arizona may top the early returns, but its conference as a whole has been tearing up the recruiting trail. Oregon landed fivestar guard Troy Brown despite overtures from Kansas, Georgetown and Alabama, while five-star forward Michael Porter headlines a five-deep class at Washington.
Porter will be joined on coach Lorenzo Romar’s floor by four-star guards Jaylen Nowell and Daejon Davis, St. Louis-area forward Mamoudou Diarra and North Carolina guard Blake Harris.
CHAMPS RELOAD
Villanova coach Jay Wright has reeled in 6-foot-6 forward Jermaine Samuels, who appears tailor-made to replace senior Josh Hart. Wright also hooked Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, a somewhat undersized post player from Philadelphia, who had offers up and down the East Coast.
Villanova is also in the running for Walker and Philly guard Quade Green.
BLUEBLOODS HUNTING
Duke has only one commitment in Georgia guard Alex O’Connell, Kansas has one in Dallas guard Marcus Garrett and Kentucky has yet to land its first commitment for next year.
That may sound ominous for now, but just wait until things shake out.