Team War Tampa fell in round one of The Basketball Tournament but the team could be back next year with more Auburn basketball alumni.
Prior to this year’s TBT (The Basketball Tournament), one team, in particular, had Auburn basketball fans excited. Team Tampa 20/20 featured four (later three) former Auburn players on the roster which led to the team rebranding as team War Tampa prior to the tournament.
Unfortunately, the team that featured Bryce Brown, DeSean Murray and Horace Spencer fell hard in their first-round matchup against House of ‘Paign, a team of Illinois basketball alumni.
Most teams vying for the $1 million prize of TBT are comprised of alumni from a certain school but if team War Tampa (or whatever they could be called in 2021) want to compete next year, they should look into bringing in more former Auburn basketball players.
So, what would a team comprised solely of former Tigers look like? I also want to point out that any player that would be on an NBA contract (including two-way deals) would be ineligible for The Basketball Tournament so that would reasonably disqualify the likes of Chuma Okeke and presumably Isaac Okoro among others.
Teams in The Basketball Tournament are limited to 10 players but this list will feature more options than that as it’s likely that not every option will be available or willing to play in TBT next summer. I’d also like to credit College and Magnolia for the format idea.
As tempted as I am to put former Auburn point guard Jared Harper here, he recently signed a deal with the New York Knicks and I fully expect him to be on their roster by the time TBT rolls around next year.
Nonetheless, it was clear that War Tampa was in desperate need of a true point guard this season and Auburn has some solid options to fill that spot.
J’Von McCormick
McCormick just wrapped up his two-year career at Auburn by averaging a very solid 11.7 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game in 2019-20. While McCormick had a good season for the Tigers, he did struggle at times with efficiency and at six feet tall, I don’t expect the former JUCO transfer to draw much NBA interest.
This should leave the door open for McCormick to join an Auburn-centered TBT team and would give the team a solid floor general.
Chris Denson
Newer Auburn fans may not remember Chris Denson as he was a part of the dreaded Tony Barbee era. However, the 6-foot-3 combo guard was one of Auburn’s best players during that time.
Denson averaged 19.1 points per game for the Tigers back in 2014 and has since had stints in the NBA G-League and overseas. If the team needs a scoring boost, Denson can be that guy.
New Williams
A former four-star prospect, Williams is another option if Denson is available. The uber-athletic point guard came to Auburn with high expectations but failed to get much playing time as a freshman before transferring to Fresno State.
As a redshirt senior this past season, Williams averaged 11.9 points and 2.9 rebounds for the Bulldogs and even showed his support for his former teammates prior to the tournament this year and has stated he’s interested in playing next summer.
It’s not a guarantee, but I expect Auburn’s all-time leading three-point shooter, Bryce Brown to be on an NBA contract next year. He averaged 16.1 points per game this season as a rookie for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA G-League and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Brown on the roster of the Boston Celtics or any other team next summer.
Regardless, the Auburn TBT team still has plenty of options at shooting guard.
Samir Doughty
Arguably the best player on the team last year for Auburn, Doughty took his game to the next level in 2019-20. After averaging 7.3 points per game in 2018-19, the former VCU transfer was able to put up a team-high 16.7 points (along with 3.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game) as a senior.
Doughty could receive a bit of NBA interest but he’ll likely find himself either in the G-League or overseas by next summer. Doughty is a great two-way player who would definitely help this team
T.J. Dunans
Dunans is another former Auburn combo guard who was a big part of the team during the beginning of the Bruce Pearl era. In two seasons with the Tigers, Dunans averaged 9.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
Since graduating in 2017, Dunans has found success in Switzerland. This past season for BBC Monthey, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 15.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
T.J Lang
If either of the two aforementioned players are unavailable, former Auburn sharpshooter T.J. Lang could be an option. Lang spent his first two seasons at Auburn averaging 4.7 points per game on 38.8 percent shooting from downtown.
Lang would transfer to South Florida for his senior season where he put up 5.7 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in 2018-19.
At 6-foot-7, Lang would bring great size and shooting on the wing and was one of the former Tigers to show support for War Tampa prior to the tournament.
Mustapha Heron
One of the top recruits in program history, Heron came to The Plains as a five-star prospect out of Connecticut, The 6-foot-5 wing has two stellar seasons for Auburn averaging 15.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Heron would then transfer to St. Johns where he played his final two collegiate seasons. Despite averaging a career-low 13.8 points per game as a senior in 2019-20, Heron should receive at least some NBA interest and could find himself on a two-way deal but my gut tells me he’ll probably be available.
Like Williams, Heron showed his support for his former teammates and War Tampa back in June.
DeSean Murray
Murray was one of the three former Tigers to participate in The Basketball Tournament this year and despite War Tampa suffering a bad 23-point loss, Murray actually played well and finished with a team-high 13 points.
Murray’s game is more suited for the power forward position but at only about 6-foot-4, he certainly doesn’t have ideal size for a typical PF. if you watched him during his one season (two if you count his redshirt year) at Auburn, you’ll quickly see that Murray plays much bigger than his size and can easily play both forward positions.
Murray averaged 10.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for the Tigers in 2017-18 before finishing his collegiate career at Western Kentucky. If Murray decides to play in TBT next season, the team could certainly use his relentless rebounding and inside scoring.
Malik Dunbar
A fan favorite during his time at Auburn due to his electrifying dunks, incredible athleticism and fiery play on the court, Dunbar would bring a ton of excitement to an Auburn TBT team.
After graduating in 2019, Dunbar received a shot in the NBA Summer League but couldn’t capitalize. Dunbar spent most of this past season playing professionally in Germany where he averaged 14.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
However, Dunbar was released by the team back in February and should be available to join many of his former teammates.
Cinmeon Bowers
One of the first stars of the Bruce Peal era in Auburn, Bowers is yet another undersized forward that plays much bigger than his size.
The 6-foot-7, 278-pound big man averaged 11.4 points and 9.6 rebounds per game in two seasons on The Plains and has spent the past few seasons in the NBA G-League or overseas.
War Tampa was beaten on the boards in their one game this year and bringing in Bowers could fix that pretty quickly.
Kenny Gabriel
Auburn’s best player during a time when they were constantly in the basement of the SEC, Gabriel is actually one of the best player on this list. A 6-foot-8 forward tremendous leaping ability and defensive instincts, Gabriel put up 12.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game as senior in 2011-12. Gabriel also put together the ONLY triple-double in Auburn history.
After his Auburn career, Gabriel spent multiple seasons with various teams across Europe and was even an All-Star in both the Greek and Turkish pro leagues.
Gabriel declined a contract offer from the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and decided to return to Europe. This past season, Gabriel played for the College Park Skyhawks of the G-League 7.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
Gabriel can play either forward spot, has developed a reliable outside shot and at 31 years old, he would give this team a much-needed veteran presence.
Anfernee McLemore
If either of those two previous players are unavailable, look for recent Auburn big man Anfernee McLemore to draw some interest.
McLemore became a fan favorite during his four-year Auburn career and put up solid averages of 6.6 rebounds, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Like the others on this list, McLemore is a bit undersized but he makes up for that with tremendous athleticism and rim protection as well as a developed outside shot.
McLemore probably won’t get much, if any NBA interest but he’s certainly good enough to play professionally somewhere next season.
Danjel Purifoy
A former top prospect in the state of Alabama, Purifoy’s Auburn career was unfortunately hampered by NCAA investigation. Still the 6-foot-7 forward enjoyed a solid collegiate career.
As a senior last season, Purifoy put up 8.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. After a spectacular freshman season in 2016-17 Purifoy was seen as a possible NBA prospect.
He likely won’t get too much, if any NBA interest but he definitely has the talent to play professionally somewhere.
Like many others on this list, Purifoy can play multiple positions and was a big part of Auburn’s program revival over the past few seasons.
Austin Wiley
Another former five-star prospect, Wiley had an up and down career with the Tigers. Amid NCAA controversy and multiple injuries, Wiley could never really put together a full season on The Plains.
However, Wiley put it all together as a senior in 2019-20 and put up a very impressive 10.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in only 21.4 minutes a contest and on 57.4 shooting from the floor.
At 6-foot-11 and 260 pounds, Wiley has had an NBA-ready body since he was about 17 years old. The Auburn big man will definitely draw a good bit of NBA interest and could possibly even hear his name called late during the 2020 NBA Draft.
If that happens, Wiley will obviously be off this list but my guess is that he’ll likely be in a similar situation as Brown was this year in the G-League.
Horace Spencer
A part of Bruce Pearl’s original recruiting class at Auburn, Spencer was a big part of Auburn’s program revival despite never becoming a star.
The 6-foot-8 big man averaged 4.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in four seasons at Auburn, mostly coming off the bench.
Spencer played this past season with Atenas, a professional team in Argentina and he was one of the three former Tigers to play with War Tampa this season.
Spencer put up six points and six rebounds in fairly limited minutes during War Tampa’s round one loss this past weekend and the team could use his toughness, hustle and rebounding next year.
LaRon Smith
Despite only playing one season at Auburn, Smith has one of the biggest Auburn supporters since he graduated in 2017. The 6-foot-8 center was big in helping get a lot of the support for War Tampa and was originally supposed to play in the tournament this year before other responsibilities interfered.
Smith struggled to get playing time during his time with the Tigers only putting up 2.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game in just 12.0 minutes a contest.
Smith joined Spencer in Argentina this past season playing for Atenas and is also part of the U.S. Virgin Islands national team.
Smith possesses incredible length and shot-blocking ability and seems to be a fantastic locker room guy. If Smith wants another shot at $1 million in 2021, he should get it.
former Auburn seven-footer Asauhn Dixon-Tatum would’ve been another great option for an Auburn TBT team that could use the size but Dixon-Tatum is already part of another TBT team.
Dixon-Tatum, who spent last season with the Captial City Go-Go of the NBA G-League, is playing with the Overseas Elite in The Basketball Tournament this year.
It’s possible that the seven-footer would want to join a team of former Tigers but seeing as Overseas Elite is one of the best teams in TBT history, I’m not sure that would be likely.