Auburn Suffers Roster Blow, Crucial Player to Enter Transfer Portal

One of the Tigers' most exciting players will depart after just one season.

Auburn has lost an important player ahead of next season. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers are set to lose one of their most exciting players to the transfer portal.

Sophomore small forward Elyjah Freeman has entered the portal, according to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos on Friday afternoon. Freeman marks the fourth Tiger to declare his intention to depart, joining Filip Jović, Kaden Magwood, and Abdul Bashir — who entered the portal just minutes after.

NEW: Auburn forward Elyjah Freeman has entered the NCAA transfer portal, @PeteNakos reports.https://t.co/06f4Xq6quz pic.twitter.com/1uHAG1HXSX

— On3 (@On3) April 10, 2026

This may come as a shock to some fans, as Freeman told On3’s Justin Hokanson that he was “locked in” following Auburn’s NIT championship win over Tulsa on Sunday night. However, things began to shift in the opposite direction over the past few days, which led to Freeman’s intended portal entry.

Freeman spent one year on the Plains after transferring up from the D-II level last offseason, but he emerged as one of the Tigers’ most athletic players and most active contributors on the glass down the stretch.

He averaged 9.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, but recorded 10.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game through Auburn’s five NIT games. He finished in double figures in five of the Tigers’ last 10 contests, and he even tallied 14 rebounds against Tulsa in the NIT title game.

This is a huge loss for Steven Pearl and the Tigers, as Freeman was widely viewed as one of the main players who Auburn must keep heading into next season. Freeman made an appearance in all 38 games this past season, starting in 21 of them, and he made a noticeable impact on both ends of the floor.

After Freeman’s departure, just three players have announced their intention to return to Auburn for the 2026-27 season — Kevin Overton, Simon Walker, and Sebastian Williams-Adams.

The Tigers will certainly need to bring in multiple pieces all across the board, but currently, they don’t have any solidified players who can play the three-spot.

With Keyshawn Hall graduating, and Freeman already taking the reins at small forward this year, Pearl will need to bring in a couple of additions who could fit the position.