Auburn Basketball Signs No. 1 Small Forward in Transfer Portal

The Auburn Tigers add one of the top players in the Big 12 last season and one of the top transfers

Auburn adds one of the top players in the portal | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl is already working on next season’s squad. They announced UCF forward Keyshawn Hall has transferred to the Plains. 

Hall can fill one of the few major holes Auburn will face after this season. Crucial players like forward/center Johni Broome and forward/center Dylan Cardwell are moving on after this season. Chaney Johnson is unlikely to get another year of eligibility to remain at Auburn. This opens up plenty of spots along the frontcourt. 

Hall could take the position played by Chaney Johnson as a small forward or big guard.

Hall may have finally found his home on the Plains. Auburn will be his fourth school in as many years. 

He started off at UNLV, averaging just 5.4 points and 1.6 rebounds then moved to George Mason for his sophomore season, where his stats improved significantly. He averaged 16.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

His junior year was his move to UCF and to a power conference. He, once again, had a stellar season. This time he averaged 18.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. 

His points per game led the Big 12. In his lone season with UCF, he was named Second Team All-Big 12 and to the Big 12’s All-Newcomer Team.

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl likes Hall for his versatility. He added that Auburn is the top place for him to win before going pro. 

“He is just a matchup nightmare for the opponent, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. “I thought the biggest factor in his decision was his desire to finish out his college career on top and win a championship.”

If Hall continues to progress in the way we think, he could be a 20-plus point scorer on average. This will massively help the Tigers as they lose most of the team that got them to the Final Four. 

However, they will still need more players through the portal or in recruiting if they want to replace every hole left after this season. However, Pearl can worry about that after Saturday. The Tigers will be playing in the Final Four for the second time ever, something some teams could only dream of. 

Should they win their matchup with the Florida Gators, they will make their first appearance in a National Championship in program history against either the Duke Blue Devils or Houston Cougars.