Auburn basketball HC Bruce Pearl said at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season–a 79-61 dismantling at the hands of the Miami Hurricanes in the Round of 32–that the Tigers would be building around Jaylin Williams this coming 2022-23 season.
He probably should stick to that. Unless he has no choice not to.
If he doesn’t, it’d be a bad look for a coach to publicly make promises he didn’t plan on keeping. Williams hasn’t left the program, unlike demoted starter Devan Cambridge, and should be in line for a starting position.
Yes, the Tigers have made their most significant gains in the frontcourt this offseason. The transfer portal brought Johni Broome from Morehead State and Yohan Traore de-committed from LSU as a freshman-to-be after Will Wade’s firing. Julian Phillips did the same thing and could be set to commit to AU himself in the coming weeks.
But if Phillips doesn’t commit to Pearl and co., Williams needs to start at the 3. If Phillips does, the Tigers need to start him alongside Broome and Traore along the frontlines.
No matter what, Auburn basketball must embrace big lineups
Auburn doesn’t need to ditch its identity as a 3-point shooting team. Whoever gets the starting nod at the 1 (Zep Jasper, Wendell Green Jr., Tre Donaldson) will be the smallest Tiger in the starting five in an ideal world. The remaining two, and K.D. Johnson would comprise the second guard/ball-handler rotation, one focused on microwave scoring and shooting AU back into games.
Along the perimeter, the nation’s No. 9 SF Chance Westry would slide down to the other guard spot. Williams or Phillips would man the 3, with Allen Flanigan serving as a potential option off the pine as well. Traore and Broome fill the void left by Jabari Smith-Walker Kessler at the 4-5. Dylan Cardwell would be the backup 5.
As 247Sports Nathan King relayed, ‘Traore and Williams could easily share the floor, as could Williams and Broome.’ The trio should start (again, unless Julian Phillips commits) and Auburn should embrace big lineups on the hardwood this coming season.