Jabari Smith Jr. on NBA Future: 'I Feel Like I Can Be One of the Greatest Ever'
May 18, 2022
AUBURN, AL - JANUARY 22: Jabari Smith #10 of the Auburn Tigers looks to shoot as he is defended by Keion Brooks Jr. #12 of the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half at Auburn Arena on January 22, 2022 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Auburn Tigers star Jabari Smith Jr. is ready for the big stage, and the potential first overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft believes he can one day be one of the best players in league history.
"I feel like I can be one of the greatest ever," Smith told Stadium's Shams Charania (4:40 mark below). "Honestly, like, putting in my work and just how I carry myself and how I view the game and, like, I've been around basketball so long and got people around me that just know the game. It's like, the sky's the limit."
Auburn’s Jabari Smith Jr., the potential top pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, sits down with @Stadium: “Yes, I believe I’m No. 1.” On the values learned from an NBA dad, translating in a position-less era, much more. pic.twitter.com/5xPzvHqGaB
Smith had an incredible freshman season with the Tigers, averaging 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 42.9 percent from the floor and 42.0 percent from deep in 34 games.
The 6'10" sharpshooter was a consensus All-American, an All-SEC first-team selection and the SEC Rookie of the Year.
Smith is considered one of the more well-rounded players in this year's draft. He's one of the best three-point shooters, rebounders and disruptive defenders available. He has excellent speed and agility, and his ceiling as a two-way star is pretty high.
That said, Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren and Duke's Paolo Banchero also have the potential be the top pick in this year's draft after also having impressive freshman seasons at their respective schools.
Holmgren, a consensus All-American and WCC Newcomer of the Year, was once considered the best player available in this year's draft before Smith's emergence. He averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 60.7 percent from the floor and 39.0 percent from deep in 32 games.
Banchero, who was also a consensus All-American and ACC Rookie of the Year, averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 47.8 percent from the floor and 33.8 percent from deep in 39 games.
Smith has the best odds to be selected first overall at -125, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Holmgren has the next-best odds at +150, while Banchero has the third-best odds at +500.
Whoever is selected first overall will be headed to Orlando after the Magic won the 2022 NBA draft lottery on Tuesday. The Oklahoma City Thunder will pick second and the Houston Rockets will pick third.
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Potential No. 1 Pick Jabari Smith Declares for 2022 NBA Draft in Video Announcement
Apr 5, 2022
AUBURN, AL - JANUARY 22: Jabari Smith #10 of the Auburn Tigers reacts late in the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Auburn Arena on January 22, 2022 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Auburn star Jabari Smith is moving on after declaring for the 2022 NBA draft.
The move was widely expected since the 6'10" forward emerged as a candidate to land No. 1 overall this summer. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected him to be the top pick to the Orlando Magic.
Smith was the seventh-best player in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2021 recruiting class, so he didn't climb up draft boards from obscurity.
But Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren and Duke's Paolo Banchero frequently occupied the first two spots in mock drafts before the 2021-22 season tipped off. Last October, Wasserman had them at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, with Smith following closely at No. 4.
As the year went on, Smith began muscling in on Holmgren and Banchero to cement himself as potentially the top player available.
In 34 games, the 18-year-old averaged 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks. He also displayed impressive range, shooting 42.0 percent from beyond the arc and knocking down 2.3 three-pointers per game.
One of his standout performances came in a Jan. 11 win over Alabama. He finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, and he shot 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
That month, Wasserman provided a stock report on Smith and noted he was challenging Holmgren for the No. 1 slot:
"What seemed like flashes of shooting and mid-range scoring early in the season have become regular occurrences for Jabari Smith. Scouts sound totally swayed by his consistent three-pointers and advanced rise-and-fire game inside the arc.
"The 6'10", 18-year-old is still at 42.3 percent on 5.1 attempts from behind the arc. They aren't all just simple catch-and-shoot shots. He's pulling up and using jab steps, getting himself enough space to elevate for jumpers that defenders can't effectively contest."
ESPN's Mike Schmitz also praised Smith and explained how he "has two foundational pillars that set him apart from the rest of the prospects in the top three: He's an elite shooter, and he has the footwork to be a multipositional one-on-one defender."
Had a blast joining NBA Today this afternoon to talk rookies and the top of the 2022 draft class. Broke down NBA skills, areas for improvement, comps, best fits, and more for Auburn star Jabari Smith. pic.twitter.com/PHINzIjOjH
In terms of his draft stock, Smith stood to gain little by spending another year at Auburn. Head coach Bruce Pearl probably assumed he'd be a one-and-done when he recruited him to the Tigers.
The predraft process can be difficult to read in terms of how a player might rise or fall. Barring a significant setback, Smith seems unlikely to slip much further than No. 3 on draft night.
5-Star Center Yohan Traore Commits to Auburn After Decommitting from LSU
Mar 31, 2022
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 08: Yohan Traore dribbles up the court during the Pangos All-American Camp on June 8, 2021 at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
One of the biggest remaining pieces in the 2022 recruiting class came off the board Thursday after Yohan Traore committed to Auburn, per Joe Tipton of On3.com.
"I like Bruce Pearl," Traore said. "I think he's a great coach with experience with players at the 4 position, like Chuma Okeke, Isaac Okoro, JT Thor, and this year, Jabari [Smith] so I think they will be able to develop my game.
"There was a family atmosphere [at Auburn]. The players were cool too. Every day they're going to push me to be the best. I think it's going to be a great place and I trust the coaches."
The 6'10" big man is the No. 15 overall player and No. 4 center in the country, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
In March, LSU fired head coach Will Wade after the NCAA issued the school a notice of allegations. A few weeks later, the Tigers began witnessing the fallout when Traore told On3's Joe Tipton he was decommitting from the school.
"Due to the recent changes within the basketball program, my family and I have decided to reopen my recruitment," he said. "Looking forward to finding a new place I can call home."
That set off a late frenzy to secure his commitment.
After having evaluated Traore, 247Sports' Brandon Jenkins called him a "skilled, efficient, and productive big man with a good natural frame":
His efficiency comes in how he generally plays within himself offensively and does what is asked of him on the floor. Traore displays a natural shooting touch not only inside but out to 15 feet, and he always looks [to] dunk everything he possibly can while operating inside or in the dunker spot. He also has great hands, is a solid rebounder, and runs the floor with purpose. Traore has the size, mobility, and skill as a big man that high major guards would love to play with.
Traore fits the profile of a modern-day center. Not only does he have the size to bang inside, but he also possesses the athleticism you'd associate with a smaller forward. Somebody who's nearly 7'0" tall shouldn't really be able to do this:
All across the Mediterranean! Yohan Traore with the 🌪️ coast-to-coast finish!@ffbasketball 🇫🇷 #FIBAU16Europe
While not a complete unknown on the recruiting circuit, Traore's true talent level was somewhat muddled because he had been balling out in France. Upon arriving in the United States, he didn't wait long to make an impression.
Traore turned heads in July with Dream Vision at the Adidas 3SSB in Birmingham, Alabama, after averaging 19.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.
Eric Bossi of 247Sports wrote he was "likely the most consistently dominant performer of the entire four days in Alabama." The Athletic's CJ Moore also named him as his player of the tournament, adding that "not many people even knew who this dude was a few months ago."
As a result of his performance, Traore climbed from 67th to ninth in 247Sports' composite rankings. His stock was seemingly only going to go up as he showcased his talent at Dream City Christian.
Traore should immediately become a key player for theTigers upon joining the squad for the 2022-23 season and should provide plenty of highlights before he inevitably makes the jump to the next level.
And Auburn should be one of the top teams in college basketball, with 4-star small forward Chance Westry joining Traore in a very solid incoming recruiting class.
No. 10 Miami Upsets Jabari Smith, No. 2 Auburn; Will Face Iowa State in Sweet 16
Mar 21, 2022
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 20: Isaiah Wong #2 of the Miami (Fl) Hurricanes shoots past Dylan Cardwell #44 of the Auburn Tigers in the first half during the second round of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 20, 2022 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Miami Hurricanes are on their way to the Sweet 16 for the first time in six years after their 79-61win over the Auburn Tigers in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament on Sunday.
Miami made the tournament as the No. 10 seed in the Midwest Region, as head coach Jim Larranaga's team had its best regular season since 2015-16 (23-10). It had to hold off a furious second-half rally from USC in the first round to advance this weekend.
Meanwhile, Auburn looked like a potential national-title contender coming into the tournament. The Tigers earned their highest seed (No. 2) since the 1998-99 campaign after going 27-5 during the regular season. They had no problems against Jacksonville State with an 80-61 win in the first round Friday.
After a close first half, Miami outscored Auburn 46-29in the second half to cruise to an easy win.
Isaiah Wong, Jordan Miller, Charlie Moore and Kameron McGusty combined to score 68of the Hurricanes' points in the win.
Auburn's offense vanished with just 61 points, its fewest in a game since Jan. 25. The Tigers' inability to put the ball in the basket offset their 17-6offensive-rebound advantage.
The formula for Miami to succeed this season has been outscoring opponents. Larranaga's team finished the regular season ranked 35th in offensive rating (110.1).
Miami's offense didn't put its best foot forward against USC in the first round. It scored 68 points on 42.9 percent shooting (1-of-14 from three-point range).
On Sunday, even though the three-point shooting still wasn't there for Miami (3-of-15), everything else for the offense was on point.
Four of their five starters scored in double figures. Wong has been fantastic so far in the tournament, scoring 22 points against USC. The sophomore guard followed that up with 21 points against Auburn.
Wong also had arguably the best highlight of the tournament thus far when he put Jabari Smith on a poster in the first half.
McGusty had a solid bounceback game after a 5-of-18 performance against the Trojans. He had 20 points on 10-of-18 shooting vs. Auburn.
The duo of Wong and McGusty scored Miami's first eight points to start the second half when the team opened up a 41-32 lead.
In addition to their efficiency on two-point attempts, the Hurricanes were great at protecting the ball and creating additional opportunities. They had 19 assists to 4 turnovers in the win.
Consistency hasn't been there for Miami throughout the season. It went from beating Duke on Jan. 8 to losing to Florida State in its next game. It needed overtime to beat a 13-20 Boston College team in the ACC tournament quarterfinals.
If Larranaga and his staff can harness this performance going forward, though, the Hurricanes will continue to be a major factor in the tournament with their offensive upside.
Shooting Lets Tigers Down in Loss
A matchup with Miami seemed like it was designed to highlight a lot of the things that Auburn does well.
The Tigers ranked in the top 50 in offensive (108.9) and defensive efficiency (92.4), per Basketball Reference. Miami's defense was 227th in points allowed (70.9) and 281st in efficiency (104.6).
Instead, everything that could go wrong for Auburn pretty much did across the board. The team's 30.4 field-goal percentage matched its performance in a 67-62 loss against Texas A&M in the SEC tournament quarterfinals.
Miami nearly pitched a shutout on fast-break points in the game:
Walker Kessler, who was fourth on the Tigers with 11.7 points per game during the regular season, scored two points and didn't make a field goal Sunday.
Jabari Smith did have a double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds, but he only made three of his 16 shot attempts. Smith and K.D. Johnson were the only Auburn starters to score in double figures.
Auburn been so awful. I know Jabari and Kessler both massive struggles, but going away from them and jackin contested 35 footers aint the way.
Jaylin Williams was the only Auburn player who can legitimately claim to have played a good game. The junior forward scored 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting off the bench, as he tried to provide a spark.
But nothing was working for head coach Bruce Pearl's team. He didn't have any way to stop the slide once it started, leading to a blowout loss and a frustrating end to what was one of the best seasons in program history.
Auburn's 28 wins are the third-most in school history. It reached No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time ever Jan. 24 and remained there for three weeks.
Pearl has done a fantastic job of making the Tigers into an annual title contender. He will almost certainly be able to reload for next season, but this loss will likely linger for some time because of how high the expectations were coming into the tournament.
What's Next?
Miami will play Iowa Statein the Sweet 16 on Friday.
Tennessee guard Kennedy Chandler (1) runs a play against Arkansas during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)
The penultimate Saturday of regular-season action in college basketball turned into a day of upsets across the country.
No. 3 Auburn suffered its fourth loss of the season with a 67-62defeat at the hands of No. 17 Tennessee at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Jabari Smith didn't have an efficient scoring day with 27 points on 9-of-21 shooting (3-of-9 behind the arc) from the field.
Four Tennessee players scored in double figures, led by Santiago Vescovi's 14 points. He only went 3-of-9 from the field but made all six of his free-throw attempts.
The Vols only shot 32.8 percent in the game, but they had a 21-10 advantage in offensive rebounds. John Fulkerson had six of those boards off the bench.
Head coach Bruce Pearl's team is limping to the finish line after being one of the best teams in the nation for most of the year. The Tigers have lost two of their last three games, including a 63-62 defeat against Florida on Feb. 19.
Saturday's loss leaves the door open for the SEC regular-season title. Auburn still leads the pack with a 13-3 record in conference games, but Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas are all tied for second at 12-4.
The Volunteers are 2-1 against those three teams, with all three games coming in the past 11 days. They beat Kentucky on Feb. 15, lost at Arkansas on Feb. 19 and now hold a win over Auburn.
Each of Auburn's four losses this season have come on the road or at a neutral site.
The Vols outscored Auburn 42-31 in the second half after trailing by six points at halftime.
After Smith made two free throws to put the Tigers ahead 41-39 with 12:21 remaining, Tennessee took the lead for good on Kennedy Chandler's layup two minutes later.
Tennessee did lead by as many as 10 points with 2:48 left in regulation, but Auburn went on a 9-2 run that cut the deficit to 63-60. Smith's four-point play was the exclamation point on that drive to put pressure back on the Vols.
Chandler responded on Tennessee's ensuing possession to get the lead back to 65-60. Wendell Green Jr.'s missed three-pointer for the Tigers, followed by Vescovi making two free throws, sealed the win.
Auburn is one of three teams ranked in the Top 10 of the current Associated Press Top 25 poll that lost Saturday afternoon. Unranked Michigan State upset No. 4 Purdue 68-65. No. 6 Kentucky lost 75-73 to No. 18 Arkansas.
Since a 107-79 loss to Kentucky on Jan. 15 that dropped its record to 11-5, Tennessee has won 10 of its last 12 games.
Auburn is just 3-3 in its past six games after winning 22 of its first 23 games to start the season.
The Vols will wrap up the regular season at Georgia on Tuesday before hosting No. 18 Arkansas on March 5. Auburn plays at Mississippi State on Wednesday and returns home to take on South Carolina on March 5.
Jabari Smith, No. 2 Auburn Upset by Unranked Florida in SEC Showdown
Feb 19, 2022
Auburn guard K.D. Johnson (0) tries to shoot around Florida guard Niels Lane (44) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Alan Youngblood)
Saturday started off on quite the high note for the Auburn Tigers men's basketball team when it was named one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA selection committee's bracket preview.
That feeling didn't last long.
The Florida Gators earned a massive win for their NCAA tournament chances with a 63-62 victory over the Tigers in Saturday's SEC showdown. Tyree Appleby (26 points) and Colin Castleton (19 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals) led the way for Florida, while 28 points and seven boards from Jabari Smith weren't enough for Auburn on the road.
Auburn had an opportunity to win on the final possession after a frantic finish but didn't even get a shot off before throwing the ball away.
It appeared as if Florida was going to cruise to victory after much of the game was back-and-forth when Appleby's three-pointer extended the advantage to eight with just more than two minutes remaining.
However, the Gators fouled Smith on a three-pointer, turned the ball over multiple times and took ill-advised shots as the Tigers came clawing back.
A final Florida turnover on an inbounds pass in the last 10 seconds with a one-point lead looked to be disastrous, but Auburn was unable to generate a shot on the last possession.
While the Gators still need to do more work to ensure themselves a spot in the Big Dance, this was a major resume-booster. They now have quality wins over Ohio State and Auburn with chances to add more down the stretch of the regular season against Arkansas and Kentucky.
As for Auburn, a No. 1 seed is still very much on the table.
This was just the team's third loss of the season, although two of them have come in the past four games. Auburn is also still a game ahead of Kentucky in the loss column in the SEC standings and won the only head-to-head game between the teams this season.
All of the Tigers' goals are still ahead of them, but Saturday was not the performance they were looking for after receiving some validation from the NCAA selection committee.
Gonzaga, Auburn Among No. 1 Seeds in 2022 NCAA Tournament Bracket Preview
Feb 19, 2022
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - FEBRUARY 08: Head Coach Bruce Pearl of the Auburn Tigers yells to his team during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena on February 08, 2022 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Tigers 80-76. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
One month away from the start of the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament, Gonzaga is in the driver's seat for the No. 1 overall seed.
The NCAA selection committee unveiled the top 16 seeds in the standings Saturday. The Bulldogs, who are currently ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 and Coaches Poll, are sitting at the top of the group and projected to be in the West Region.
Auburn (Midwest), Arizona (South) and Kansas (East) would also be No. 1 seeds in the tournament if it started today.
Baylor is the next team in line for a No. 1 seed. The Bears were given the No. 2 seed in the south region behind Arizona. Kentucky, Purdue and Duke rounded out the teams on the two line.
Villanova (East), Texas Tech (Midwest), Tennessee (South) and Illinois (West) are the current No. 3 seeds. The No. 4 seeds are Wisconsin (East), UCLA (Midwest), Providence (South) and Texas (West).
Selection committee chair Tom Burnett said on CBS the gap between Gonzaga, Auburn and Arizona at the top is "razor thin"
Gonzaga, which has spent five weeks ranked No. 1 in the AP poll this season, has won 15 consecutive games since a 91-82 loss to Alabama on Dec. 4. Head coach Mark Few's team was the top overall seed last year after going 26-0 before the NCAA tournament.
The Bulldogs made it all the way to the championship game before losing to Baylor. They currently lead the nation in points per game (89.9) and rank second in offensive rating (120.2) and third in defensive rating (86.2), per Sports Reference.
Expectations were modest for Auburn coming into the season, as the team hadn't made the NCAA tournament since 2019, when it lost to Virginia in the Final Four.
The Tigers were ranked No. 22 in the AP preseason poll and kept steadily rising before finally moving into the top spot on Jan. 24. They stayed there for a total of three weeks before an 80-76 overtime loss at Arkansas on Feb. 8.
Auburn has responded with blowout wins over Texas A&M and Vanderbilt, with a road game against Florida looming Saturday night.
Arizona is seeking its first No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament since the 2013-14 season. The program hasn't made the tournament since 2017-18.
In their first season under head coach Tommy Lloyd, the Wildcats have been one of the best teams in the nation. They are 23-2 overall with a top-10 offense and defense by rating and have won seven straight games since a 75-59 loss at UCLA on Jan. 25.
Kansas was able to get on the one line despite losing two of its past six games, including an 80-62 blowout defeat at home against Kentucky on Jan. 29.
There are going to be plenty of shakeups before the field of 68 is unveiled on March 13. Conference tournaments are set to begin as soon as Feb. 28. The last No. 1 overall seed to win the NCAA championship was Louisville in 2013, though that title was later vacated as part of the fallout from the bribery scandal.
NCAA Suspends Bruce Pearl, Accepts Auburn's Self-imposed Ban After Recruiting Probe
Dec 10, 2021
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - JANUARY 20: Head coach Bruce Pearl of the Auburn Tigers yells at his team during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena on January 20, 2021 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Tigers 75-73. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
The NCAA has announced the punishment for Auburn's basketball program stemming from former assistant coach Chuck Person's involvement in a bribery scandal.
Per Meghan Durham of NCAA.org, the NCAA infractions committee announced it accepted Auburn's self-imposed postseason ban from last season and head coach Bruce Pearl will be suspended for two games.
The university and Pearl, who will begin serving his suspension on Saturday against Nebraska, issued statements about the NCAA's decision:
Statements from Auburn and Bruce Pearl about today’s NCAA decision. Pearl will serve his two-game suspension immediately, missing games against Nebraska and North Alabama. pic.twitter.com/HyvfZVKnfx
In addition to those measures, Auburn has also been put on probation for four years and must vacate all team records from when ineligible student-athletes played in games.
The Tigers were one of seven programs implicated in the college-basketball corruption scandal in 2017 when the FBI arrested 10 individuals, including four assistant coaches, three athlete advisors and three Adidas employees.
In February 2018, Pat Forde and Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports obtained federal documents that also tied programs like Duke, North Carolina, Texas, Kentucky, Michigan State, USC and Alabama to potentially giving "impermissible benefits and preferential treatment for players and families of players."
Auburn announced in November 2020 a self-imposed one-year postseason ban for the 2020-21 season as a result of Person's role in the scandal and arrest.
Person was hired as an associated head coach by Pearl in April 2014. He was going into this third season with the program at the time of his arrest and subsequent firing.
The 57-year-old was sentenced to 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to a charge of bribery conspiracy.
Former 5-Star C Walker Kessler Announces Transfer to Auburn from UNC
Apr 12, 2021
North Carolina forward Walker Kessler (13) grabs a rebound over Louisville forward JJ Traynor (12) while North Carolina guard Anthony Harris (0) reaches in during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Walker Kessler's time with the North Carolina Tar Heels is over after one season.
On Monday, the big man used his Instagrampageto announce he is transferring to the Auburn Tigers. He message read: "I am excited to play for a great coach at an awesome school and be close to home and my family. War eagle!"
Kessler was a 5-star prospect and the No. 22 overall player in the 2020 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
Brendan Marksof The Athletic noted Auburn, led by head coach Bruce Pearl, was one one of Kessler's finalists during the recruiting process before he chose the Tar Heels.
The Georgia native did not live up to the expectations that came with being such a highly regarded prospect during his one season with North Carolina. He averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 8.8 minutes a night over 29 games.
The Tar Heels lost to Wisconsin by 23 points in the first round of the 2021 men's NCAA tournament, and Kessler finished with two points and one rebound in 13 minutes.
His best performance came when he notched a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds along with eight blocks during an ACC tournament win over Notre Dame. He also posted 20 points, eight rebounds and four blocks in a February win over Florida State but was unable to establish much consistency throughout his brief tenure.
Kessler joins an Auburn team coming off a disappointing 13-14 effort during the 2020-21 campaign, although the Tigers went to the 2019 Final Four and would have been a contender for another long run had there been a Big Dance in 2020 given their 25-6 record.
If Kessler lives up to the expectations that accompanied him when he arrived at North Carolina, he can help Auburn quickly return to form and compete in the SEC.
