Auburn has locked in its point guard of the future.
Jason “Dink” Gardner Jr., a four-star guard from Fishers, Indiana, has officially signed with the Auburn men’s basketball program and will arrive on the Plains as a true freshman for the start of the 2027-28 season.
Gardner Jr. is ranked 69th in the class of 2027 by On3, coming in as the No. 23 point guard and the fifth-ranked player in Indiana. Auburn beat out Florida, Indiana, Stanford and DePaul for his commitment, and he also held offers from Arizona, Iowa, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Texas and UCLA, among others.
Head coach Steven Pearl said Gardner Jr. brings a winning profile and a skill set built for pressure on both ends.
“Jason is winner. Every team he’s a part of wins and wins big,” head coach Steven Pearl said.
“He’s a quick, shifty, high IQ point guard that can get anywhere he wants with the ball at any time. His ability to get paint touches combined with his elite playmaking skill makes him one of the top high school point guards in the country.
He can really attack the basket and is one of the best high school finishers around the rim.
“He has the potential to really disrupt on defense with his quickness and speed, and should wreak havoc as an on-ball defender. We are really excited about his leadership and being the future floor general for our program."
Gardner Jr. was putting up 20.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2-9 assists and 1.4 steals per game before a hand injury ended his junior season. He is now fully healthy and sits on the short list of hopefuls for 2027 Indiana Mr. Basketball.
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