Auburn Arena practice gyms and workout facilities had been completely vacant since Bruce Pearl held an end-of-season meeting the day after the NCAA tournament was canceled.
That was in March, which was seemingly was a lifetime ago.
But this week, the doors opened, sneakers are squeaking, and some of the 2020-21 Tigers are home. Auburn basketball players were allowed to return to campus over the weekend and were permitted to begin their voluntary workouts Monday.
The Tigers' football program was the first group to return its student-athletes to campus, starting its voluntary workout period June 8. The basketball team's arrival later in the month went according to plan by Auburn's leadership.
"A phased approach," Auburn athletic director Allen Greene said June 2 when asked how other athletes besides football players will begin their workouts. "... [Basketball] is looking at coming back later this month."
AuburnSports.com's Jeffrey Lee recently reported that all five signees in Auburn's No.7-ranked recruiting class reported to campus for move in and workouts at the end of last week.
Since the start of the voluntary workout period, several Tigers have provided snippets from inside the facilities via social media. Players like Devan Cambridge and Sharife Cooper posted videos cooling down after workouts, while Tyrell Jones and Javon Franklin shared that they were on the practice courts.
While much of the national focus has been on how to navigate a successful start to the college football season in August, the NCAA this week gave a glimpse into its plan for a return to the hardwood soon. On Tuesday, it announced a proposal, to be voted on Wednesday, for summer access for both men's and women's basketball.
Under the proposed schedule, athletes would continue voluntary activities and up to eight hours of virtual instruction through June 30.
Starting July 1, players and coaches would begin "enhanced" nonphysical activities, such as team and individual meetings, and film study. All virtual and in-person activities would still be limited by an eight-hour-per-week cap.
Then the courts open. From July 20 for eight weeks until the school’s first day of classes or Sept. 15, whichever is earlier, players would be allowed eight hours per week of weight training, conditioning and on-court skill instruction, the latter of which cannot exceed four hours per week.
Teams can still hold virtual, nonphysical activities and meetings, provided they do not combine with the in-person sessions to exceed eight hours per week.
After the eight-week period, out-of-season workouts can begin, and teams would start standard, preseason practices no more than 42 days before their season opener.
For Bruce Pearl, whose team begins its 2020-21 campaign with a home game against North Alabama on Nov. 10, that target date to kick off practice would be Sept. 29.
In the proposal, the NCAA states that while the guidelines are to be universally enforced to all its basketball programs, individual schools and teams must still abide by state and local health regulations — such as restrictions on group sizes and limitations on indoor gatherings.
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