Incoming Auburn Tigers basketball freshman Kaden Magwood is being predicted to give key sophomore returnee Tahaad Pettiford a run for his money as the starting point guard during the 2025-26 college hoops season.
At least a better run than anyone is going to give Texas Tech transfer Kevin Overton at the 2-guard spot.
"There will probably be more competition at the one than at the two, but Overton’s defensive capabilities likely give him the edge to start. The Texas Tech transfer also averaged 7.8 points per game and shot 33.1% from 3-point range, meaning he can still give Auburn something offensively," AL.com's Peter Rauterkus wrote.
Rauterkus believes Magwood may even model his game after Pettiford.
"Magwood, a true freshman, is an interesting prospect to learn behind Pettiford. He’s cut from a similar cloth as a scoring guard, and Pearl even told reporters that Magwood has 'a lot of Tahaad in him.' If Magwood’s development is at all similar to Pettiford’s last season, Auburn’s backcourt will be in good shape," Rauterkus wrote.
After leading the Tigers to a Final Four, Bruce Pearl has successfully reloaded his roster with transfers like Overton, Keyshawn Hall, KeyShawn Murphy, and Division II stud Elyjah Freeman, freshmen Magwood and Abdul Bashir, and international recruit Filip Jovic.
He's given himself a great problem at point guard, with two great players worth starting, and has no holes across the depth chart.
If this is his last go-round before launching a bid for the US Senate in the state of Alabama, Bruce has built a program that will be sustainable if/when his son Steven takes over.