DOTHAN, Ala. – Fresh off Auburn's first Final Four appearance, the Tigers are yielding benefits in recruiting, Bruce Pearl said Wednesday on the first AMBUSH Auburn Alumni Association tour event.
"I think the difference is more doors are opened," Pearl said. "Whether or not we're able to go in there and get the job done is a whole another matter. I've definitely been in some schools and some homes of some kids that would have been out of our reach that now are potentially within our grasp."
Auburn's unprecedented success in 2018-19 included an SEC Tournament championship and the program's first 30-win season. Along the way, the Tigers made the most of the ride, with pre and postgame sing-alongs, hibachi dinners and the bonding that comes with March Madness road trips.
"We're going to be disciplined in a lot of areas, but when it comes to having fun, I want them to be able to cut up a little bit, sing a little bit, dance a little bit," Pearl said. "Enjoy it, but we're still going to work at it."
May 29 is the deadline for underclassmen to withdraw from the NBA Draft. The NBA Combine evaluation period takes place May 15-19 in Chicago. Despite being unable to participate in the Combine while recovering from knee surgery, Chuma Okeke, who averaged 12 points and a team-high 6.8 rebounds while leading the Tigers in steals and blocked shots, could still be picked in the first round on June 20.
"He's already demonstrated what he's capable of doing, and there are guys that are projected late first round that can't hold a candle to him," said Pearl, who spent Thursday recruiting before the second AMBUSH stop in Decatur, Alabama. "Those guys at the next level are smarter than me, and I'm sure they'll figure it out."
Last year, Austin Wiley participated in the Combine before returning to Auburn for his junior season. At Auburn's team banquet on April 25, Wiley announced he will remain on the Plains for his senior year.
"He's just now 20. He's still young," Pearl said. "Austin is still in position to do everything he wanted to do at Auburn. If he can get a spring and a summer and a fall of training and stay healthy, then he can have a breakout year next year. His attitude has been great, and he's going to have a really good opportunity next year to play his way into a great position."
While Pearl waits to finalize Auburn's roster for next season, he's hard at work on the 2020 recruiting class, which he calls a "great year" for prospects.
"Fortunately, our program is going to be in position where we're going to have some real opportunity," he said. "Next year is going to be a team of seniors and underclassmen. It's going to be a very unusual mix of lots of veterans and lots of rookies, and not that much in between.
"After those seniors go, the following year, this class is important, but we'll be a really young team and hopefully a really talented young team."
"More doors are opened."
— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) May 2, 2019
🗣@coachbrucepearl on how @AuburnMBB Final Four run is paying recruiting dividends. pic.twitter.com/l6ZDJBrDe9
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer