June 27, 2017
AUBURN, Ala. – Samir Doughty, a 6-foot-4, 187-pound guard from Philadelphia, Pa., and VCU, has signed a financial aid agreement to attend Auburn University, head coach Bruce Pearl announced Tuesday.
Doughty, who will have two years of eligibility remaining after redshirting this upcoming season, played in 35 games, starting 15, averaging 9.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 23.1 minutes per game as a redshirt freshman for VCU, which lost to Saint Mary’s in the NCAA Tournament first round.
“Samir brings experience, versatility and the ability to make his teammates better as a play maker and slasher,” said Pearl. “Samir can play several positions on the floor. Like a lot of Philly guards, he's got swag to his game and will enjoy the fast tempo of Auburn Basketball.”
Doughty shot 40.9 percent from the floor, 28.4 percent from 3-point range and 76.6 percent from the foul line as he was the Rams’ fourth-leading scorer. He averaged the most points by a VCU freshman since Shawn Hampton in 1998-99.
“I am just happy to be a part of the Auburn Family,” said Doughty. “It is very friendly-oriented. I am able to play for Coach Pearl. He is one of the best coaches in college basketball right now. He has some very good assistants who can help me get through this process. I am just ready to enjoy the process.”
He shot 34.5 percent (19-of-55) from 3-point range for the final 21 games of the season since Jan. 4 after opening the year 4-of-26 from behind the arc.
Doughty had a career-high 23 points with nine assists and seven rebounds at Duquesne and just missed a triple-double with 10 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds vs. St. Joseph’s. He scored 17 points in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament vs. Richmond and had nine points in the NCAA Tournament vs. Saint Mary’s.
He averaged 24.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.7 steals per game while shooting 59 percent from 2-point range as a high school senior at Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School in Philadelphia, Pa.
Doughty joins three other incoming Tigers for next season in November signees four-star Davion Mitchell, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound guard from Hinesville, Ga., and Liberty County High School; four-star Georgia Mr. Basketball Chuma Okeke, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward from Atlanta, Ga., and Westlake High School; and Malik Dunbar, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound guard/forward from North Augusta, S.C., and the College of Central Florida.