Zep Jasper: Auburn freshman ‘will be crucial next year’

Auburn basketball was bounced from the 2023 March Madness tournament in deflating fashion against Houston on March 18, but there could be brighter days during the 2023-24 season with the return of freshman Chance Westry — who played 11 games but was lost for the 2022-23 season after the team’s SEC road opener against Georgia back in early January due to a knee procedure he had done in the preseason.

Departing Tigers senior Zep Jasper believes that when Westry does return, he’ll be a crucial piece of the Auburn basketball program. “I think he learned from the older guys how to do a lot of great things and how you get up in the morning and get shots up, but also eat and also go to class,” Jasper said on March 17. “I’m just happy for him to have the opportunity to redshirt and get that year back. Next year will be crucial for him. With knowing the system, with not being a freshman anymore, with having a year under his belt, I feel like he’s gonna be crucial for next year.”

Westry sounded excited about getting back to practicing with his teammates, though he cautioned himself not to get too excited about the future given the setbacks he’s already faced, opting to take things one day at a time. “I’m excited, but I can’t put the future too ahead of me,” Westry prefaced before saying, “Because when I was in high school, I put the future ahead of me, and obviously I’ve been out with an injury. So I try to take it one day at a time.”

Chance Westry hints at several freshmen returning to Auburn basketball

In speaking about next season, Westry shouted out several freshman and intimated they’d be returning amidst an offseason of question marks across the roster.

“You see Yohan’s been doing a good job right now,” Westry said. “You see Tre, another freshman. We’re doing good.”

Many took to Twitter to call into question Traore’s status moving forward, but Westry didn’t bat an eye talking about the underperforming 5-star freshman. Another person many wondered about was Wendell Green Jr. due to an Instagram story that included the peace sign, making many think that meant he was waving goodbye to the Plains. A recent tweet from Green seems to contradict that, though:

The Tigers will be losing several key players, but not everyone. Expect Westry and Donaldson to be a big part of the team moving forward regardless of who stays or who goes.