Auburn Gets Commitment from Elite Frontcourt Transfer

Auburn Gets Commitment From Elite Froncourt Transfer KeShawn Murphy

What Does KeShawn Murphy Bring to Auburn?

Auburn needed size to fill in for Broome. Murphy brings starting experience in the SEC that most other players in the portal couldn’t bring. At Mississippi State last season, Murphy averaged 11.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He also helped lead the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament. At 6-foot-10, 245 pounds, Murphy has the size and strength to compete with any center in the country. He doesn’t spread the floor with outside shooting, but he did shoot 56.6% from the floor. Defensively, he showed an ability to protect the rim, averaging 1.1 blocks per game. While none of these numbers are elite, he did this in only 24 minutes per game, so with a larger role, he could average a double-double for the Tigers.

While Murphy isn’t a direct replacement for Broome, he should fit in well in that role on the block. He has finesse around the rim. Broome was an elite rim-protector, which Murphy lacks, but Murphy could develop better in Bruce Pearl’s system. KeShawn Murphy is likely one of two players to replace Broome for Auburn, as finding one player to affect a game like Broome is unlikely. Regardless, Murphy brings experience and size to an Auburn team that desperately needed it.

What Does Auburn Need to Return to the Final Four?

Auburn has added a wing in Hall and now a center/power forward in Murphy. Pearl has done well at finding frontcourt talent in the transfer portal. However, they still need some guards to fill out the rest of the roster. Tahaad Pettiford is likely returning next season, but they will need more depth at guard with graduating seniors. Elite guards like Ian Jackson are still available, but time will tell whether Auburn will get one of them to commit. Auburn is an elite destination following a Final Four visit, so they should have no problem picking up a guard or two in such a guard-heavy transfer class.

For now, until they find a couple of guards, they will struggle to win the SEC again. There is time, but the SEC is stacked. Any holes in a roster will likely be exploited. They have the most important part of a competitive roster in the SEC: size. However, success always depends on having ball-handlers who can control the pace and tempo. There isn’t any panic in Auburn after picking up KeShawn Murphy, but they will need to find a guard soon.