Auburn basketball: Tigers lose out on Gonzaga commit Nolan Hickman

Auburn basketball was a long shot to land Nolan Hickman, and on Saturday, he made a long-expected decision to join Gonzaga as yet another marquee signing for the 2021 March Madness runner-ups.

Bruce Pearl has already had one of the better off-seasons in college basketball after limping through a season the Tigers were ineligible for the postseason due to a recruiting infraction involving 2021 NBA Draft hopeful Sharife Cooper. In addition to the 11 games he missed to begin the year, fellow (although they never shared the court in 2020-21) backcourt mate Justin Powell didn’t play a single second after Auburn’s 1/2 loss to Texas A&M. He too is a goner, transferring to Rocky Top to join Rick Barnes.

That didn’t affect Pearl’s pull this recruiting cycle as 5-star recruits Walker Kessler and Jabari Smith are making their way to campus to boost an already fearsome frontcourt that includes Jaylin Williams, “Stretch” Akingbola, and Dylan Cardwell. JT Thor could make his way back to the Plains as well if he doesn’t get drafted in the upcoming 2021 NBA Draft or sign on as an UDFA.

As for the backcourt, Wendell Green Jr., Zep Jasper, and Desi Sills all came aboard after Powell transferred in-conference, and Javon Franklin (South Alabama), and Jamal Johnson (UAB) transferred in-state. Hickman would have had a case to start games in a point guard battle with Green and Jasper, but he now joins Hunter Sallis in one of the country’s most exciting young backcourts with the Bulldogs. The 2021 Zags recruiting class also includes 5-star big man Chet Holmgren and 4-star big Kaden Perry.

Gonzaga, like Auburn basketball, is also seeing the NBA poach their talent, with Corey Kispert and Jalen Suggs likely lottery-bound after a strong showing throughout Gonzaga’s run to the NCAA March Madness final.

That said, they’re both reloading instead of laurel-resting. Like the 2020-21 season, though, Gonzaga just happened to get one up on Auburn.