Following a major roster overhaul after the 2024–25 season, Auburn basketball finds itself in the middle of a critical rebuilding phase under head coach Bruce Pearl. With the possibility that no scholarship players from last season return, the program is essentially starting from scratch—and the lone potential holdover, freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford, is still testing the NBA Draft waters.
Pettiford has until May 28 to withdraw from the draft and retain his college eligibility. According to Pearl, if Pettiford doesn’t feel confident about being a first-round pick, he’s expected to return to Auburn rather than enter the transfer portal. That decision will have a major impact on how the coaching staff rounds out the rest of the roster.
In the meantime, Pearl and his staff are also focused on adding size to the frontcourt. Former Mississippi State forward KeShawn Murphy is already on board, but the Tigers are targeting at least one more big man to bolster the rotation. Pearl recently hinted that Auburn is actively working on bringing in an international prospect, though nothing is finalized yet.
“As we sit right now, we’re still sort of waiting on a big,” Pearl told Auburn Rivals. “We hope to have something that we can work our way through – an international player that – it just takes time to process. We’re not saying anything right now because we don’t have the t’s crossed and the i’s dotted.”
One name to watch is Filip Jovic, a 6-foot-10 big man from Serbia who plays for KK Mega Bemax—a program known for developing NBA-caliber talent. Jovic averaged 12.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.5 blocks this past season and could offer Auburn a versatile presence in the paint.
With the May 28 deadline fast approaching and international recruiting moving at a slower pace, the next few weeks will be pivotal in determining how Auburn’s retooled roster shapes up for the 2025–26 campaign.