AUBURN | I’ve only seen them play twice, on T.V., 6,557 miles away, and against questionable competition.

But I’m sold, completely sold on Bruce Pearl’s 2022-23 basketball Tigers. My confidence starts with a newcomer class that looks like a complete home run.

I honestly had no idea Yohan Traore was *this* athletic for a 6-foot-10 forward. He’s a different type of 4 than Jabari Smith, but he’s going to be just as fun to watch.

He’s a player that will score from the paint to beyond the arc, and is going to provide some show-stopping moments on the fast break.

Chance Westry has also surprised me with the maturity he plays with on the floor, especially his defense. He’s also a better shooter than I expected, from 3-point range and those pull-up jumpers just outside the lane.

Johni Broome is everything I thought he was going to be and gives Auburn a powerful 5 that can defend, play physical on offense and defense and has a nice finishing touch around the basket.

And I certainly don’t want to leave out Tre Donaldson, who may have to fight for minutes this season, but is already showing a ton of upside with his quickness, toughness and ability to finish around the rim.

When his time comes, he can be a special point guard for AU.

I’m not going to break down the entire roster but among the returning players, Al Flanigan looks to have his quickness back and several others look to have taken a step forward in their development, especially Dylan Cardwell.

The biggest test for this team on its tour comes later today against the Israel National Team. Then it will be a three-month wait until George Mason visits Neville Arena to open the season.

Can’t get here fast enough as far as I’m concerned.

***

Just a few notes you may have missed or overlooked from the first few days of fall camp…

** Freshman wide receiver Camden Brown was with the veteran group on Saturday after going with the newcomers Friday. That’s a quick promotion for Brown and is a good indication of his ability and more importantly, the work he’s put in learning the offense and being ready for the start of camp.

** JD Rhym is already getting reps with the first-team defense at both cornerback and nickel. Auburn has recruited this position extremely well and Zac Etheridge is continuing the tradition with the players he’s brought in including Rhym. The secondary is one of AU's strongest position groups and Rhym should be a huge part of the playing rotation.

** Several players have already been singled out by coaches and/or players without being prompted including wide receiver Tar’Varish Dawson, linebacker Cam Riley, noseguard Jayson Jones and nickel Donovan Kaufman.

Dawson is on track to be a key part of the offense and will likely work at one of the slot positions along with Ja’Varrius Johnson. Riley is competing with Wesley Steiner and several others for the linebacker position opposite Owen Pappoe and should be a key contributor on defense and special teams.

Jones is a real space-eater in the middle of the defense and will help give a lot on 1-on-1 matchups to key players like Colby Wooden, Marcus Harris and Derick Hall. Kaufman has had a great offseason and is becoming a key leader on that side of the ball.

** Jeremiah Wright is a full-time defensive lineman competing with Jones and Marquis Burks at noseguard. I still don’t think a lot of people recognize how talented and deep Auburn is along the defensive line. It might be the best position unit on the team.

** Landen King is a full-time receiver and should be a big part of the offense this season. He’s listed 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds on AU’s roster, and should be a tough physical matchup for a cornerback or nickel.

In today’s musical journey, we go back 53 years to the day a stroll across a street became one of the most iconic album covers of all-time. On Aug. 8, 1969, photographer Iain MacMillan climbed on top of a stepladder and took pictures as the Beatles walked across Abbey Road in London. Police stopped traffic for about 10 minutes for the shoot and it was Paul McCartney that chose one of the six photos taken for the cover of the album, Abbey Road. The idea reportedly came from a stickman drawing by McCartney and the shoot was put together hastily as the group was in a hurry to continue recording at EMI studios, which changed its name to Abbey Road studios in 1976. The album cover prompted rumors of the death McCartney and his replacement by a body double. According to the conspiracy theorists of the time, the picture is a funeral procession with John Lennon as a priest (in white), Ringo Starr as the pallbearer (in black) and George Harrison as the gravedigger (in casual clothes). The license plate on the Volkswagen Beetle is 28IF, which was interpreted as McCartney would be 28 if he was still alive. Of course, McCartney is still alive and well today.

Abbey Road, which was released on Sept. 26, 1969, was the final album recorded by the Beatles. Let It Be, which was actually recorded before Abbey Road, was released eight months later in May of 1970. Abbey Road is considered one of the Beatles best albums and included several hits such as Come Together, Something and Here Comes the Sun, the latter two written by Harrison. It’s ranked by Rolling Stone as No. 5 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It has sold over 31 million copies making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. The album cover has been recreated or spoofed by several other artists including McCartney, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kanye West, and T.V. shows such as Sesame Street and The Simpsons. The Abbey Road crossing now has its own webcam and hundred of tourists visit it each day.