For the first time this side of the recruiting cycle, Auburn has gained some clarity about the shape of its 2020 recruiting class.
In the first commitment to Bruce Pearl's program since now-signee Chris Moore in November, Auburn picked up the pledge of 4-star power forward JT Thor of Norcross, Ga., on Easter.
Thor was widely projected to pick Oklahoma State after his official visit there in the fall, but Auburn made up ground in the spring and ultimately closed on Thor without the 6-foot-10 big man ever taking an official visit to the Plains. He did attend two AU basketball games last season.
All of a sudden, Auburn is getting answers about this year's class, with its two biggest targets left on the board — 5-star shooting guard Jalen Green and 5-star forward Greg Brown — also set to announce their commitments this month.
Pearl has a legitimate shot with both, as Green is deciding between Auburn, Memphis or the professional route, and Brown is down to Auburn, Texas, Michigan, Memphis and Kentucky.
As far as Thor is concerned, his verbal commitment to join Auburn's roster is no small achievement for Pearl, even compared with the likes of Green and Brown. Thor is the sixth-highest rated recruit during the Pearl era at Auburn, and he will theoretically be a big addition next season to a Tigers frontcourt in need of some depth.
The only frontcourt player from Auburn's regular rotation that is returning next year is rising sophomore power forward Jaylin Williams — and even he didn't play double-digit minutes until the sixth-to-last game of the year. Auburn thinks Williams is a rising star, and there were plenty of highlight-reel plays and efficient usage numbers to back that up. But he can't be the only big man.
Center Babatunde Akingbola is also expected to take on a bigger role next season after only being used in 2019-20 when the Tigers were blowing someone out or were in serious foul trouble with their bigs.
But most pressing for Auburn is that it no longer has seniors Anfernee McLemore and Austin Wiley, both of whom provided different but effective contributions on the offensive and defensive ends over their seven years of combined playing time.
Thor brings elite athleticism around the rim, as he exhibited good control of his frame to attack the basket on offense and protect it on defense throughout high school. He can also step back and find success on the perimeter with his jumper.
The hope for Auburn is that he'll consistently create mismatches against opposing bigs.
Thor could play center for Auburn in spots. His build is bigger than that of McLemore's coming out of high school, with possibly a better shooting stroke from Day 1. Pearl has shown over the years that he's plenty comfortable with a small-ball rotation, however, if that's what yields consistent success in SEC play; McLemore was Auburn's starting center his sophomore season while Wiley was ineligible.
So the versatility certainly won't hurt Auburn. Thor and Moore — definitively a small-ball power forward at 6-foot-6 — essentially have Auburn's depth at the 4 position filled out.
The Tigers are still thin at the true center spot, however, and could bring in a transfer depending on how Green and Brown's commitments play out. Additionally, they're still heavily in the mix for 4-star center Dylan Cardwell, a teammate at McEachern High School with point guard signee Sharife Cooper. That's also a recruitment likely contingent on Green and Brown's decisions.
With Thor on board, Auburn's 2020 class has moved up to No. 11 in the country.
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