Auburn basketball: Allen Flanigan claps back at Twitter troll

Auburn basketball wing Allen Flanigan–who, on Wednesday announced his return to the Tigers for the 2022-23 season after a few weeks at the G League Elite Camp–clapped back at a Twitter troll hating on his decision to remain on the Plains.

While the Tweet has since been deleted by the author, Flanigan’s response remains:

Auburn basketball had key additions and returns this offseason

While Julian Phillips’ commitment to the University of Tennessee meant that the Tigers didn’t have a perfect offseason, it still remains one that should be considered pretty close regardless.

Picking up one of the other pieces from the Will Wade fire-sale at LSU (Yohan Traore) and grabbing a shot-blocker from the transfer portal that is a rim-protector in the vein of reigning Defensive Player of the Year Walker Kessler meant that the frontcourt would survive several NBA Draft losses.

But the returns of Dylan Cardwell and Allen Flanigan, both withdrawing from the 2022 NBA Draft process, solidify it as one that remains among the best in the SEC.

Bruce Pearl believes Flanigan’s pre-draft experience was exactly what the upperclassman wing wanted, being okay with returning to the Plains with an improved skillset:

"“I think the experience was really good, and I think he wanted that experience as much as anything. He wanted to be able to get sort of a fresh starting point on where he is right now as it relates to the draft, as it relates to the competition.”"

With the return, it’s likely we’ll see Flanigan start at the 3. If he can recover from the Achilles injury that kept him out of non-conference play last season, it’s possible that the Tigers will be even better equipped to sustain a run deep into March Madness in 2023.