Auburn basketball Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
The 2019 Auburn basketball Final Four run single-handedly defined the program heading into the (so far) not-so-roarin’ twenties, inspiring five-star recruits like Sharife Cooper, Jabari Smith, and UNC transfer Walker Kessler to sign on the dotted line with Bruce Pearl and the Tigers.
Never before was the “Loveliest Village on the Plains” a true contender for a majority of the 5-star recruits in the country until then. Beating out the likes of Kentucky, UCLA, UCONN, and UNC…for a basketball recruit?
A mere fantasy during the Tony Barbee and Jeff Lebo eras.