College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 12 Auburn Tigers

Top-25 College Basketball: Auburn Projected Roster & Outlook

In this series, we'll be taking a closer look at RotoWire's preseason college basketball top-25, with an in-depth roster analysis and projected rotation for the 2025-26 season for each team. Today's feature will be the Auburn Tigers.

12. Auburn

Auburn will have a lot of experience it will need to replace this coming season. Johni Broome, Chad Baker-Mazara, Dylan Cardwell, Chris Moore, Chaney Johnson, Denver Jones and Miles Kelly are all gone after playing so many games in a Tiger uniform. 

Last season was Bruce Pearl's best chance to win that elusive title, but he ultimately fell in the National Semifinals to conference foe Florida. He's going to have a lot of work to do in the offseason to get this new team up to speed together, but he's got the talent to compete at the top of the SEC again. 

Tahaad Pettiford is expected to be the lone returning player. He provided a dynamic scoring punch for this team off the bench in his freshman campaign, but will be asked to take on a much larger role as a sophomore. 

Keyshawn Hall was the biggest pickup in the transfer portal for Pearl. The 6-7 forward averaged a career-high 18.8 PPG at UCF and will now look to replicate it with his fourth school in as many years. 

KeShawn Murphy was one of the top rebounders in the SEC last season with Mississippi State and should start at center, while Kevin Overton comes over from Texas Tech and should be a reliable floor-spacer. 

Now we get to the fun part. Auburn added the top JUCO prospect in Abdul Bashir and one of the top D-II transfers in Elyjah Freeman. Bashir is a lanky 6-7 swingman who averaged an eye-popping 27.2 PPG last season, while Freeman will add some much-needed interior depth after putting up 18.9 PPG and 8.7 RPG. 

Coach Pearl also brings in three players from the 2025 ESPN 100 led by guard Kaden Magwood, who is one of the best shot-makers in the entire class. This will be a dangerous team come March if the pieces fit like they should.

Check out how injuries are affecting the status of other players & teams on RotoWire's college basketball injury report.

2025-26 Auburn Basketball Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Tahaad Pettiford (11.6 PPG, 1.8 3PM)

SG: Kevin Overton (7.8 PPG at Texas Tech)

SF: Abdul Bashir (27.2 PPG at Casper College)

PF: Keyshawn Hall (18.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG at UCF)

C: KeShawn Murphy (11.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG at Mississippi State)

Key Reserves: Kaden Magwood (No. 39 in ESPN 100), Sebastian Williams-Adams (No. 45 in ESPN 100), Elyjah Freeman (18.9 PPG, 8.7 RPG at Lincoln Memorial), Simon Walker (No. 99 in ESPN 100), Emeka Opurum (9.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG at Butler Community College)

Following another active transfer portal period, RotoWire's college basketball depth charts are updated with the latest in roster movement.

2025-26 Full Preseason College Basketball Top-25

1. Coming Soon
2. Coming Soon
3. Coming Soon
4. Coming Soon
5. Coming Soon
6. Coming Soon
7. Coming Soon
8. Coming Soon
9. Coming Soon
10. Coming Soon
11. Coming Soon
12. Auburn Tigers
13. Arkansas Razorbacks
14. UCLA Bruins
15. Alabama Crimson Tide
16. Iowa State Cyclones
17. Arizona Wildcats
18. Michigan State Spartans
19. Gonzaga Bulldogs
20. Kansas Jayhawks
21. Tennessee Volunteers
22. North Carolina Tar Heels
23. Oregon Ducks
24. Illinois Fighting Illini
25. Wisconsin Badgers