Auburn Daily

Auburn Tigers Lose Sophomore to Season-Ending Medical Condition

The Auburn Tigers have lost a piece of its depth for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
Cam Parker|
The Auburn Tigers will be without a sophomore center for the rest of the season.
The Auburn Tigers will be without a sophomore center for the rest of the season. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Auburn Tigers

AUBURN, Ala.-- The Auburn Tigers will be without sophomore center Emeka Opurum for the remainder of the 2025-26 season due to a medical condition, first-year head coach Steven Pearl announced Saturday.

The medical condition was not disclosed.

“Our priority is Emeka’s health and wellbeing,” Pearl said. “We look forward to Emeka making a full recovery and returning next season.”

The sophomore is in his first season with the program after transferring from Butler Community College in Kansas. Across six appearances, Opurum is averaging 3.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and one block a game. He averaged 9.6 minutes per appearance.

He last played in the win over St. Johns on Nov. 26 at the Players Era Festival, recording one rebound in six minutes of play. His best game of the season came in his Auburn debut against Merrimack on Nov. 6, when he scored 11 points on 4 of 4 shooting with four rebounds and two blocks.

“He’s just such a sponge, such a coachable kid," Pearl said of Opurum before the Players Era Festival. "I mean, I think he’s played well in games that he’s supposed to play well. “His whole thing is just got to stay right and stay ready…He’s got to be ready to go out there and give us quality minutes, whether there’s injury or foul trouble or we just need an extra body out there. I know he will be because he prepares with the best of them. And he’ll be excited and ready to go.”

Auburn (7-3) sits as the No. 21 team in the country after a 97-68 blowout loss to Arizona on Dec. 6. The Tigers are looking for a bounce-back performance on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CT against Chattanooga in Atlanta for the annual Holiday Hoopsgiving game.

Television coverage can be found on SEC Network.

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Cam Parker
CAM PARKER

Cam Parker is a reporter covering the Florida Gators, Auburn Tigers and Clemson Tigers with a degree in journalism from the University of Florida. He also covers and broadcasts Alachua County high school sports with The Prep Zone and Mainstreet Daily News. When he isn't writing, he enjoys listening to '70s music such as The Band or Lynyrd Skynyrd, binge-watching shows and playing with his cat, Chester, and dog, Rufus.

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