Auburn is opening its 2026 basketball season with a roster that looks busy, deep and already familiar in a few key spots.
The Tigers hold their first official practice on Wednesday, and they’ll use October to sharpen things up with three preseason exhibitions before the Nov. 4 opener against Southeastern Louisiana. Two of those tuneups are set for Birmingham: Florida State at Boutwell Auditorium on Oct. 14 and Alabama at Legacy Arena on Oct.
- Auburn will finish the preseason at home against Samford on Oct.
What stands out right away is how much of the backcourt came back. Kevin Overton, Tahaad Pettiford, Simon Walker and Blake Muschalek are all back from the 2025 season, giving Auburn a foundation it can build around while the rest of the roster settles in.
And there are plenty of newcomers. Auburn added 10 players over the offseason, including forward Thomas Dowd from Troy, center Bukky Oboye from Santa Clara, forward/center Owen Freeman from Creighton, Adam Olsen from South Alabama, combo guard George Kimble III from Vanderbilt, 7-foot center Narcisse Ngoy from France, Lithuanian guard Mantas Rubštavičius and 3-star wing Caleb Williams from the high school ranks.
Steven Pearl said the group has already set a strong tone in the gym.
“This has been a group that’s worked really hard, probably one of our hardest working teams that we’ve had,” Pearl said. “And I know a lot of coaches say that.
When I look back over the last eight years, I think we’ve had more players and more coaches in the gym every single day consistently than we’ve had in a while, which I think has been really good for the culture of this group. But I think Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton have made really good steps in the right direction and have made strides not only off the court but on the court.”
That pair already gave Auburn a big lift late last season. Overton and Pettiford combined for 50 points in the Tigers’ 92-86 NIT championship win over Tulsa.
Pettiford finished the 2025-26 season averaging 15.4 points and 3.8 assists per game, then took another step as a passer during Auburn’s NIT run with 5.2 assists per game.
Overton was even sharper in the tournament, earning NIT Most Outstanding Player honors while averaging 18.6 points per game and shooting 53.7 percent from 3-point range.
Pearl said the backcourt leadership will matter even more now that Auburn is blending in so many new faces.
“Yeah, it’s an area that I’ll continue to challenge especially Kevin Overton and Tahaad Pettiford,” Pearl said. “Just continue to use your voice.
Because here’s the deal: When they talk, I listen, right? And I think it’s really important for the newcomers that we have to hear them and let those guys be very vulnerable in tough situations in practice.
They know my expectations, and they know my standard. So, they both had really good summers.”
In Other News...
Auburn Homecoming Brings One Gameday Change Fans Need To Know
Auburn has started laying out its plans for Homecoming 2026, and the schedule should feel familiar to anyone who has spent a fall weekend around campus. The celebration will include a parade through downtown Auburn and a pep rally on Samford Lawn, giving the Tigers a full slate of traditions leading into Saturdays game.
The biggest game-day change for fans, though, comes from a necessary absence rather than a new attraction. The pregame flyover has been canceled because of military personnel deployment, while Auburn Athletics is also adjusting stadium operations around construction at Jordan-Hare Stadium with additional metal detectors, new entry points and earlier gate opening times aimed at making the lines move more smoothly. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Jackson Adds Another Honor To Auburns Unmatched Legacy
Bo Jacksons legacy will grow again this fall, when the Auburn icon is honored with the Louisville Sluggers Living Legend Award on Nov. 13 at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. Jackson becomes the 18th recipient of the award and only the second former Auburn Tiger to receive it, adding another line to a career already defined by rare two-sport greatness.
Jackson remains one of the most recognizable figures in college sports history, a star whose fame stretched from Auburn to Major League Baseball and the NFL. He was an MLB All-Star in 1989 and won the Heisman Trophy in 1985, and this latest recognition serves as another reminder of how deeply his name is woven into Auburns unmatched athletic legacy. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Is Making Another Jordan-Hare Change Fans Will Notice Saturday
Ahead of Auburns Week 4 home game against Vanderbilt, the school is making another noticeable change around Jordan-Hare Stadium, this one aimed at how fans move through the building on Saturdays. Auburn Athletics said it is adjusting several game-day operations to improve pedestrian flow, including reconfiguring concession stands, relocating medical carts and adding more way-finding signage for supporters making their way to their seats.
The other pieces are just as focused on easing the crush around the stadium. Temporary vendors are being removed from congested spots, law enforcement presence is being increased and fans with certain lower-level tickets are being directed to use specific ramps and seating routes. It is the kind of behind-the-scenes tweak Auburn hopes will matter most when the crowd starts arriving and the pressure points at Jordan-Hare begin to show. [Read more 🡒]