Former Auburn Standout Loses Eligibility After Entering Transfer Portal

Leading the team in points and rebounds a season ago, an expected transfer that was one of the best in the cycle will have finished his career on the Plains.

Auburn Tigers forward Keyshawn Hall (7) lost his extra year of eligibility on Friday, meaning he will now have to go professional. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

One of the summer’s biggest storylines has continued to go back and forth since the end of July. Now, a new ruling affects a former Auburn Tiger on the hardwood. 

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has granted the NCAA a stay of the Colorado ruling that was set to give the class of 2022 recruits a fifth year of eligibility. Now, the injunction is pending, meaning some players who were initially granted a fifth year are no longer getting it. 

That includes former Auburn standout Keyshawn Hall, who is now ineligible to play for the 2026-27 season. On3’s Joe Tipton revealed the report, which had Hall, Louisville’s Seth Trimble and Florida’s Denzel Aberdeen among the bunch. 

Notably, Auburn transfer Keyshawn Hall is now also currently ineligible.

— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) August 21, 2026

Hall wasn’t committed anywhere just yet, despite being a top-five transfer in the portal cycle, but was expected to go to a top program for his final year of college basketball. Now, he won’t go anywhere, playing for four teams in that many seasons throughout his career. 

His career with Auburn was his best, however, having career-highs in points and assists while leading the Tigers in scoring and rebounding. Hall finished his senior season averaging 19.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists, shooting the three at a 37.9% clip in 2025-26. 

He complemented well with Auburn’s backcourt duo of Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton, who both averaged double-digits as well across the season. Hall scored 20 points in two of the Tigers’ five NIT Tournament games, which eventually led to the program’s championship in the tournament to end the season on a high. 

Despite Hall’s departure, Auburn will have a rebuilt frontcourt that will look to bring back the dominance that guided its team two years ago to a No. 1 seed and a Final Four appearance. Pearl is also looking for his first NCAA Tournament appearance at head coach. 

The Tigers added center Owen Freeman from Creighton and Iowa to aid the efforts, being a steady big man who can also shoot the three. Troy wing Thomas Dowd is another name primed to grow in SEC play, averaging 14.4 points and 10.1 rebounds for the Trojans last season. 

Add in Pettiford and Overton’s return, and Auburn has the tools to make noise in the SEC last season. The Tigers’ ceiling, which we will find out during the non-conference schedule, will determine if they can compete with the best in the conference once again. 

Enjoy our content? Make AuburnOnSI a Preferred Source on Google to see more of our stories by clicking here.