OPINION: Auburn, it's okay that you thought about Jared Harper this weekend
It’s hard to watch the Final Four without thinking about Auburn’s incredible NCAA Tournament run from a few years ago. This weekend was no exception.
The whole sports world paying attention to your school after the team has gone through the gauntlet of March Madness is a really special thing. The fact that it was just a few hours away in New Orleans was another element of it.
I want to tell you, it's okay if you thought about Jared Harper and Chuma Okeke this weekend. The run that put Auburn on the map after defeating several Blue Bloods on their way to a Final Four appearance.
The Final Four oozes history and legacy, this year more than others with all of the Coach K storylines and the matchup between the second and third all-time winningest programs coming on Monday night in the National Championship. Auburn was a part of it just a few years ago and it gave a feeling throughout a fanbase that wants to experience it again.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved every second of the two games this weekend and the Duke/UNC matchup somehow lived up to incredibly high expectations. But I think Auburn fans that were a part of the audience were thinking about how the Auburn Tigers could get back to the Final Four.
Fortunately, Bruce Pearl has laid the groundwork for their path back to the top of the college basketball world. He has top talent interested in and coming to Auburn. He has top transfers looking at Auburn. He’s set the bar regarding what is expected on the floor and that if you’re willing to put in the work, you can make an instant impact and compete for championships.
Pearl already has the roster in a great spot with three returning guards in Zep Jasper, KD Johnson, and Wendell Green Jr. coming back to The Plains for another season. The Tigers will look for more size and pop at the small forward and post positions but the addition of Yohan Traore to the 2022 signing class is a great start to building for next year.
The best thing about Auburn basketball’s success in 2022 is that it looks to be sustainable and not a flash in the pan.
When Auburn fans long for a return trip to the Final Four, it's easy to get excited about the idea and place hope in the future because they know it could be pretty close due to the continued success this program has seen since Jared Harper and Bryce Brown led the team on the best run in school history.
Auburn fans, It’s okay to hope and long for a return because it may not be far away.
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