AUBURN | After replacing three seniors, a junior and a sophomore, which includes four of the five starters off a 30-win, Final Four team, Auburn won 25 games in a shortened 2019-20 season.
Now, Bruce Pearl and his assistants must replace five seniors and probably a talented freshman, which includes all five starters and the sixth man, going into next season.
That leaves the Tigers with seven scholarship players returning for Pearl to begin to build his 2020-21 roster. We profiled four of them Friday and here’s a look at the final three:
DEVAN CAMBRIDGE
So., Wing, 6-6, 190
2019-20 Season: Cambridge played 31 games off the bench averaging 4.2 points and 2.3 rebounds, and making 27 3-pointers, which was tied for fourth on the team. He had two huge games with 26 points against South Carolina and 21 points against LSU, making 13 of 19 3-pointers combined. In the other 16 SEC games, however, he averaged 2.2 points and made 7 of 35 from beyond the arc.
2020-21 Projection: Cambridge gained a lot of experience playing 408 minutes off the bench, the most of any Auburn player last season. With his 3-point shooting and high-flying dunks, he provided a lot of highlights, just lacking the consistency he’ll need to become a starter. If he takes that next step, Cambridge could become a starting wing on next year’s team and one of the most dynamic scorers in the SEC.
Pearl (Feb. 22): “I'm very proud of Devan. Devan has been really coachable. Like all of the younger kids, they need to continue. They've got to get tougher. They've got to get meaner. But that's the challenge. Devan's not afraid, and he's got great confidence. And he works. I mean, he's in the gym, and he's doing the right things. He had a good week academically, too. I'm just telling you, it all kind of works together.”
JAYLIN WILLIAMS
So., Forward, 6-7, 230
2019-20 Season: Williams played in just eight of the first 25 games, averaging 1.6 points. But stepped up when Isaac Okoro was injured, and then kept a spot in the playing rotation averaging 3.5 points and 3.5 rebounds over the final six games. He had eight points, two rebounds, two assists and three steals in 15 minutes of a comeback win over Tennessee. In the next game against Ole Miss, Williams had six points, three rebounds and two blocked shots in 14 minutes.
2020-21 Projection: Williams showed a lot of potential at the end of last season and should be a favorite to be AU’s starting stretch-4 next season. He only made 1 of 9 3-pointers last season but definitely has the potential to be a much better and more prolific 3-point shooter with more minutes. Williams has the potential to be a stat-sheet stuffer and influence a game on both ends of the floor, along with having a penchant for the spectacular play like his pass to himself off the backboard for an own-alley-oop dunk against the Volunteers.
Pearl (Feb. 22): “I’m happy for Jaylin. It’s a coaches’ job to put players in positions to be successful, and we didn’t think that earlier in the season that Jaylin was ready. But you can see. Couple things: So thrilled with how the bench reacts, because while Jaylin wasn’t playing, he’s working in practice, he’s putting in his time. He’s handling the fact that he’s not playing like a pro, very very unselfish. His family is staying patient. You’ve got to stay right and ready, and when you’re number’s called. And he had some big-boy plays out there. He’s got some big-boy ability. I’m very very proud of Jaylin for a lot of reasons. He’s a terrific student-athlete.”
BABATUNDE AKINGBOLA
So., Center, 6-10, 236
2019-20 Season: Akingbolo played in 13 games off the bench, totaling just 30 minutes. He did have five blocked shots, averaging one every six minutes, which would equate to approximately 106 blocks in a season playing similar minutes to Austin Wiley or Anfernee McLemore. Auburn’s single-season record is 126 by Kyle Davis in 2002-03. Akingbola scored his only points of the season on a dunk against Lipscomb.
2020-21 Projection: Akingbola should have a much bigger impact in year two, and could even be the starter at center unless the Auburn staff prefers to go with a lineup featuring two forwards and/or signs an elite big in the late period such as Greg Brown, J.T Thor, Jonathan Kuminga or Clifford Omoruyi. Either way, Akingbola’s defensive ability and energy should be a real positive for the Tigers next season. As his offensive game develops, he could become a force in the SEC.
Pearl (Jan. 30): “Next year, when Stretch is out here playing, he’s going to be able to shoot the 3-ball. I know you find that hard to believe, but he is. We’re recruiting some inside guys right now that are really good players that I think could be really good shooters, but you know, I believe in empowering bigs to be able to step out. It’s a big part of what we do.”
*** Click HERE to read Part I, which includes updates on Allen Flanigan, Javon Franklin, Jamal Johnson and Tyrell Jones.
