AUBURN | Just five and a half weeks after Auburn’s men’s basketball season came to an end, the roster for the 2021-22 season has undergone dramatic changes.

Below is a look at who’s out, who’s in and how the new pieces fit together.

MOVING ON

Auburn lost five scholarship players that opened last season on the roster. Tyrell ‘Turbo’ Jones was the first to go, transferring to South Alabama in December. Three additional players transferred after the end of the season with Javon Franklin joining Jones at USA, Jamal Johnson going to UAB and Justin Powell choosing Tennessee. Johnson led AU with 56 made 3-pointers while Powell averaged 11.7 points, 6.1 resounds and 4.7 assists in 10 games.

After playing in 12 games as a true freshman, Sharife Cooper declared for the 2021 NBA Draft and stated his intentions not to return to college. Cooper led the Tigers averaging 20.2 points and 8.1 assists per game.

From a positional standpoint, AU lost one true point guard in Cooper, three wings in Jones, Johnson and Powell, and one forward in Franklin.

WAITING LIST

JT Thor also declared for the NBA Draft but left the door open for a return. He averaged 9.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game as a true freshman. He has until July 19 to withdraw his name from the draft. The 2021 NBA Draft will be July 29.

RETURNING

Auburn is currently scheduled to return six scholarship players from last season led by Allen Flanigan, who averaged 14.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists as a sophomore. Jaylin Williams averaged 10.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 blocks while Devan Cambridge averaged 8.9 points and 3.6 rebounds. All three will be juniors. Dylan Cardwell and Chris Moore are back after becoming key players off the bench as true freshmen last season as is Babatunde Akingbola, who was a backup center and team leader.

INCOMING

Auburn currently has three transfers and two signees coming in this summer. Zep Jasper and Wendell Green Jr. will bring in immediate help at the point guard position while Walker Kessler gives the Tigers a very skilled big man.

Jasper averaged 15.6 points, 3.7 and 2.6 assists per game as a junior at College of Charleston, shooting 43.7 percent from the floor and 34.5 percent from 3-point range. Green averaged 15.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists as a true freshman for Eastern Kentucky. He shot 39.6 percent from the floor and 36.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Kessler, a former 5-star and McDonald’s All-American, averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 8.8 minutes per game as a true freshman at North Carolina. In a five-game stretch in February against Florida State, Marquette, Louisville, Northeastern and Virginia, he averaged 11.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.4 blocks in 13.6 minutes per game.

Jabari Smith is a 5-star and the nation’s No. 5 overall player in the 2021 class. He led Sandy Creek to the Georgia Class AAA championship game averaging 23.4 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists. He is also a McDonald’s All-American.

Trey Alexander is a 4-star and the nation’s No. 70 overall player. He led Heritage Hall to the Oklahoma Class 4A championship game averaging approximately 27 points and 10 rebounds per game.

THE FIT

Pearl and staff filled its biggest need of the offseason by landing Jasper and Green to man the point guard position. Both can also slide to shooting guard if needed.

At the wing, which constitutes two starting positions in Pearl’s system, AU will return Flanigan, Cambridge and Moore and add Alexander, who should be ready to play right away. AU lost three wings so adding one more transfer that’s a quality 3-point shooter and could even provide backup minutes at point guard in case of injury would be a plus.

The forward position should be a strength with Smith coming in, the highest-rated signee in program history. Although he played mainly center last season, Williams is a natural forward with good all-around ability and plenty of upside. Smith has the athleticism to slide to a wing if AU wants to go big against some opponents.

Cardwell and Akingbola return at center with Kessler able to be a stretch-5 or work in at forward if needed.

POTENTIAL LINEUP

1: Zep Jasper, Wendell Green Jr.

2/3: Trey Alexander, Chris Moore

2/3: Allen Flanigan, Devan Cambridge

4: Jabari Smith, Jaylin Williams

5: Walker Kessler, Dylan Cardwell, Babatunde Akingbola

It could easily be Green starting at point guard. I chose Jasper because of his experience.

I think the wing position is pretty wide open other than Flanigan being a probable starter. He can be one of SEC’s best if he takes another step forward in year three. Cambridge could start alongside him but I think it’ll be Alexander, an improved Moore or most likely — a talented transfer.

The way Pearl and staff have bossed the transfer market so far, I’d be surprised if they don’t add a quality shooting guard to the roster in the coming days and weeks.

Forward looks like a really strong position with Smith, a likely one-and-done, and Williams. If Thor returns, AU will be loaded here and have to find minutes for at least two of the three at other positions.

Center looks very strong with Kessler the likely starter although it should be a good competition with Cardwell. Akingbola’s minutes may be limited but he can still impact the team with his attitude and leadership.