Auburn basketball fans react to the official return of Allen Flanigan

Auburn basketball’s offseason just got a lot better with the announcement of Allen Flanigan’s return to the Plains for the 2021-22 season. The guard announced this morning that he will not be heading to the 2021 NBA Draft and will return for his junior season.

Though Bruce Pearl’s Tigers lost players to the transfer portal and the NBA in the offseason, he’s reloaded the roster with no problem. Two talented signees will join the ranks in Jabari Smith and Trey Alexander, as well as transfers Walker Kessler (UNC), Zep Jasper (College of Charleston), and Wendell Green Jr. (Eastern Kentucky).

Allen Flanigan, who was predicted to be a second-round pick in the 2021 NBA draft, was ranked No. 54 in the ESPN 100 and was projected as the 17th pick in ESPN’s 2022 Mock Draft, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

Needless to say, Auburn basketball fans were ecstatic to see the return of Flanigan, who averaged 14.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists over the 2020 season. This was a huge leap from his freshman year, and he will be a key piece on Pearl’s roster as a veteran leader.

As to why he wants to return to the collegiate level, Allen Flanigan explained that he wants to develop more as a player and a person. “My best basketball is still ahead of me,” he said, per ESPN. “I wanted a chance to come back and not only improve as a player but most importantly as a person.”

War Eagle to Allen Flanigan and we’re pumped to see him making the 2021 Auburn basketball team even more of a threat to the rest of the NCAA.