Tigers Tip Off Below Expectations in Rothstein’s Power Poll
Jon Rothstein’s preseason SEC Power Rankings slot Auburn basketball at No. 11, just above Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Mississippi State and South Carolina, despite last year’s NIT title. With only two returning major contributors—Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton—the Tigers face a colossal rebuild under Steven Pearl. Top newcomers include Lithuanian forward Mantas Rubštavičius, French seven-footer Narcisse Ngoy (who spurned the NBA this year), plus portal additions Thomas Dowd, Owen Freeman, Adam Olsen and George Kimble. Three-star guard Caleb Williams also joins the class, giving Auburn’s revamped roster the potential to challenge SEC contenders as practices gear up and preseason hype builds.
Sure, Jon Rothstein’s ranking might sting like a missed free throw, but don’t reach for the panic button just yet. After all, proclaiming Auburn basketball “irrelevant” before the ball even bounces is like judging a sushi restaurant by its salad bar—technically related, but utterly misleading. Yes, they lost half the roster faster than you can say “draft night,” but they also picked up enough size to start their own metal band. The NIT crown still gleams in their trophy case, and nothing says “sleeper contender” like a team forced to reintroduce itself on the fly. So, strap in: this rebuild might explode from zero to Final Four dark horse faster than you can tweet #WarEagle.
Meet the Coach Who Landed Auburn Without Ever Seeing It
Alex Golesh revealed that when he accepted the Auburn head coaching job, he had never set foot in Auburn, Alabama. In a candid sit-down with David Pollack, he explained that despite decades of recruiting in the state, this was his first campus visit post-hire. Since November, he’s soaked in the Plains’ unique culture—where every person he meets quizzes him on his love for Auburn. He notes a trend of former coaches settling locally and jokes that his longevity will hinge on his win-loss record rather than real estate.
Nothing says “commitment” like signing a multi-million-dollar deal in a town you’ve never visited—except, perhaps, doing so via a blind date. Auburn boosters apparently swipe right on willingness to Google a city rather than actually visit it. But hey, who needs pre-hiring due diligence when you’ve got Southern hospitality on speed dial? It’s comforting to know every neighbor will ask if he loves Auburn—because nothing says “welcome home” like being tested on the first date. In the grand theater of college football, hiring the stranger in the room is practically a tradition. Here’s hoping Golesh’s playbook is as airtight as his travel itinerary was nonexistent.
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