A kid from Chandler, Arizona apparently wants to move across the country to join the Auburn basketball team. TyTy Washington, a four-star point guard prospect, could look to replace the playmaking void that Sharife Cooper and Justin Powell’s departures have brought to the Tigers for the 2021-22 season.
Washington, one of the five finalists of the 2020-21 MaxPreps National Player of the Year award, is playing in the Geico Nationals this week, according to MaxPreps. He also is one of the most sought-after players of the Southwest, and the list of teams pursuing him is a long one.
36 different teams, spanning conferences ranging from the Big 12 to the CAA are all pursuing Washington. Obviously, both Arizona and Arizona State are pursuing the home-town kid, but Washington may be eyeing the Plains instead of the desert.
According to Jake “Jboy” Crain, Auburn basketball is in the lead for the dynamic ball-handler:
According to @HeatCheckHoops/ @TravisGraf_ Auburn is leading for 2021 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ PG Ty Ty Washington pic.twitter.com/WU6ZcdEHPW
— Jake “JBOY” Crain (@JakeCrain_) April 1, 2021
This is huge for Bruce Pearl and his program for many reasons. First off, the fact that the Tigers could still be competitive in the recruiting ranks following a losing season shows the strength of the program’s foundation. Given all of the issues Pearl has had with the NCAA, being able to overcome that and still woo the nation’s best ballers is a masterclass leadership display by the Tigers HC.
Secondly, Washington could immediately compete for minutes in the backcourt given the exodus of talent from the 2020-21 team. In addition to Cooper’s NBA Draft departure, both Justin Powell and Jamal Johnson have entered the draft portal. Johnson has already landed with UAB, while Powell is projected to land with Kentucky.
With Zep Jasper in tow, Pearl already had a new-look backcourt in 2021-22, and if “Jboy” is correct, Washington could further that facelift and outbid the hottest commodities in college basketball.
The Pac-12–who have had the most dominant performance in the 2021 March Madness Tournament–and undefeated Final Four team Gonzaga are not Washington’s top choices.
Instead, TyTy Washington has his eye on the Tigers.