Tag: Kenneth Lofton Jr

Auburn expressing early interest in star from Conference USA

The Tigers are showing interest in big man from Conference USA.

On Sunday, Jon Rothstein of CollegeHoopsToday reported several schools that have shown interest in Louisiana Tech transfer Kenneth Lofton Jr. while he is training for the 2022 NBA Draft. One of the schools listed was Auburn and several other programs included were Houston, LSU, Texas A&M, USC, Gonzaga, and Kentucky.

The Texas native spent two seasons with the Bulldogs. Over the course of those two seasons, he averaged 14.3 points per game and 9 rebounds per game. He played a little bit of both the four and the five spot at Louisiana Tech. However, he would likely stick to the four spot if he chose the Tigers. At 6’7, the Tigers’ coaching staff would probably implement him into the lineup in different ways. Last season, Lofton Jr. was named to the First-Team All-Conference USA team. He was also listed on the Karl Malone Award Watch List.

With Auburn losing Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler, his presence would certainly loom large if he elected to transfer to Auburn. The Tigers will return forward Jaylin Williams and center Dylan Cardwell, and as of now, forward Chris Moore and Babatunde Akingbola will return as well. 2023 five-star Yohan Traore also recently committed to Auburn. Lofton Jr. is one of the more interesting players in the transfer portal. He is a big specimen at 6’7, 275 pounds. [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] and his coaching staff could certainly use him in their lineup next season.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Along with Lofton Jr., the Tigers have shown early interest in other forwards Johni Broome and Manny Bates. It is possible that Pearl believes he needs one or two more big men if they want to be elite next season, and Lofton Jr. certainly fits the profile. With other high-profile schools in the mix, it is key that Auburn stays in contact regularly. He can impact the game on both ends of the floor and can change the outcome of any game. It would be nice to add Lofton Jr. to a squad that is anticipated to be ranked in the top 25 for the 2022 season.