MOUNTAIN BROOK, Ala. – On the flight from Auburn to Birmingham, Bruce Pearl draws on a notepad and tells Wendell Green Jr. about an option of a play call that could yield an open look for a teammate.
In a few minutes, Pearl, Green and Jaylin Williams will ride a shuttle van to the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Mountain Brook to represent Auburn at SEC Tipoff '23, men's basketball media day.
Talking season is here.
Winners of three SEC championships in the past five seasons, reporters predicted the Tigers to finish fourth in the league this season after earning Auburn's first No. 1 ranking last season.
"The key is, are we good enough Sunday (vs. UAB in a closed scrimmage) to win against an opponent?" Pearl said, downplaying the ranking's importance. "From that point forward, are we going to continue to get better? If we do, we've got a chance."
Tasked with replacing two first-round NBA draft picks in Jabari Smith and national defensive player of the year Walker Kessler, Pearl added 6-10 forwards Johni Broome and Yohan Traore to Auburn's experienced roster.
"I don't know how we could do any better," Pearl said. "My coaching staff did a great job. Really good players and prospects, great kids. In my mind it boils down to how much did everybody else improve? That's going to be, in my mind, what's going to make up for not having two first-round draft picks."
Wendell Green Jr. at SEC Tipoff '23
The Tigers' second-leading returning scorer behind K.D. Johnson (12.3), Green averaged 12 points per game last season while ranking third in the SEC with 5.1 assists per game.
"Wendell put together some incredible numbers last year," Pearl said. "He's got great confidence, he makes other guys better, he's dangerous on the floor."
"We have a championship mindset," Green said. "I'm a leader on this team. Last year everything was new to me. Now I'm more poised, more relaxed in every situation."
In his fourth season at Auburn, Williams projects to have a larger role after backing up Smith last season.
"Getting myself in better shape, more than, ever, so I can be able to play 20, 25 minutes a game," Williams said. "Our fours and fives have been more skilled than I've ever had at Auburn University. We can all finish around the rim, all of us are working on our jump shots so we can spread the court more.
"This year is a much bigger role for me, and I have to lead as a senior."
'A much bigger role': Jaylin Williams at SEC Tipoff '23
Auburn tips off Pearl's ninth season on Nov. 7 at Neville Arena vs. George Mason. In his relentless quest to stay at the top of the SEC, Pearl flew from Birmingham on an East Coast recruiting trip while the student-athletes drove back to the Plains.
Talking season will soon end. Maintaining a championship program never does.
"Our basketball team's great strength is I've got 13 really good players," Pearl said. "There is great competition and depth at every position."
"We compete. We're teammates… but when we're playing against each other, it's like we're playing Alabama."@icyywen & @iso__jaywill representing @AuburnMBB at @SEC 🏀 Media Day ⤵️#WarEagle I #SECTipoff pic.twitter.com/uXs4nIM6gA
— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) October 20, 2022
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer