Auburn basketball rumors: Turbo hints Sharife is now eligible

Auburn basketball freshman Sharife Cooper has finally been cleared to play according to former teammate Tyrell Jones.

2021 is wasting no time bringing the major headlines just a week and a day into the year. The world could use some good news, and Auburn basketball fans may be getting the best possible news they can get: Sharife Cooper could play tomorrow.

According to Tigers transfer Tyrell “Turbo” Jones, Cooper has already been cleared to play by the NCAA:

Cooper’s eligibility has been held hostage by the NCAA–who has leaned more on inference than investigation–and it has cost the possible NBA prospect 11 games of his college basketball career.

For someone like Cooper, that could be roughly 33% of the number of games he would have played had he been able to, considering a jump to the NBA could be possible.

Bleacher Report listed Cooper as a top 40 prospect in the 2021 NBA Draft, citing his craftiness on offense as the main draw for NBA teams to take him in the second round:

"40. Sharife Cooper (Auburn, PG, Freshman)Seen on the bench and practicing with Auburn, Cooper could be nearing his debut, which the NCAA has kept from happening because of eligibility issues. If he does suit up this season, there will be plenty of interest in his creativity off the dribble and confident shooting."

Cooper was meant to be the floor general of Bruce Pearl’s offense, with Jones playing a part in the backcourt as well. Justin Powell’s ascension is the byproduct of the absence of the two of them. Without “Turbo” and the team’s top recruit, one that has the capability of continuing the new Auburn tradition of having NBA players drafted, the team has had to figure things out on the fly.

Tomorrow, they may be at full strength for the first time all season.

Just in time for Roll Tide-War Eagle.

We needed a distraction from everything going on in the country, and Cooper’s return is hopefully what spruces up the second Saturday of 2021.