5-star PG, family visit Auburn

AUBURN | Five-star point guard Sharife Cooper is getting an early start to his official visits.

Cooper, who is ranked the No. 4 point guard in the 2020 class, was in Auburn over the weekend for the first of five official visits.

“It went great. I toured the facilities and everything,” Cooper said. “I saw more of the school’s facilities, academics and not just athletics, and I talked to some of the counselors, too.”

Cooper arrived in Auburn on Thursday and stayed until Saturday. He was accompanied on the visit by his mother, father, uncle and brother.

“This visit was more about getting closer with the coaches, the team and getting my whole family down here to see it,” Cooper said.

Cooper spent a lot of time with Auburn coach Bruce Pearl and assistants Ira Bowman, Wes Flanigan and Steven Pearl. He also hung out with several of the players.

“I talked a lot to Jared Harper, Malik Dunbar, Horace (Spencer), Chuma (Okeke), all of them,” Cooper said. “I already knew most of them, and I talked a lot with (Bowman).”

Cooper is very familiar with Bowman, who is in his first year at Auburn after spending six years at the University of Penn.

“I knew him when he was at Penn,” Cooper said. “I’ve known him for a while, almost all my life. He’s like family. I really like him.”

Cooper also likes Auburn, but isn’t ready to name a leader.

“I’m open right now with my recruitment,” Cooper said. “I’m looking at Kentucky, Auburn, Duke, Georgia, Georgia Tech and some others.”

Cooper doesn’t have any other visits scheduled at this time, and doesn’t plan to make his college choice anytime soon.

“I’m not in a hurry,” Cooper said. “I’ll probably make my decision my senior year most likely.”

Rivals ranks Cooper the No. 25 overall player in 2020.