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Auburn basketball: 5 takeaways from Sharife Cooper and JT Thor’s 2021 NBA Draft

By Andrew Hughes

Auburn basketballFeb 2, 2021; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard K.D. Johnson (0) makes a pass around Auburn Tigers guard Sharife Cooper (2) and forward JT Thor (10) during the second half at Auburn Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Auburn basketballFeb 2, 2021; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard K.D. Johnson (0) makes a pass around Auburn Tigers guard Sharife Cooper (2) and forward JT Thor (10) during the second half at Auburn Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the 2021 NBA Draft in the books, we are now armed with the information of where Auburn basketball stars Sharife Cooper and JT Thor will be headed in the pros.

Both will stay relatively local, as Thor was selected at the #35 pick and later traded to the Charlotte Hornets by the Detroit Pistons and Sharife Cooper will head back to his home city of Atlanta to play for the Hawks after being taken with the #48 pick.

The duo was expected to go in the first round, with both looking like potential lottery picks not all that long ago. Dropping to the second round will cost them money, but shouldn’t cost either an opportunity to compete for minutes in 2021 and beyond.

Either way, there are two more Tigers in the pros, and the Auburn basketball NBA legacy expands.

Here are 5 more takeaways from Sharife Cooper’s and JT Thor’s NBA Draft:

Sharife Cooper landed with the ideal team

The ATL-born Cooper was blessed to end up with the Hawks for several reasons beyond the homecoming angle.

First, he’s joining a team that has perhaps more room for upward mobility than any other team in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta just fell two games shy of the NBA Finals and could have perhaps seen things play out differently had Trae Young been healthy the whole season.

Speaking of which, Young can work directly with Cooper and help him transition to the pros as an undersized floor general. Given his excitement over the Hawks drafting Cooper, it’s likely he’ll be a willing helping hand.

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