Auburn officially confirmed the signing of Kevin Overton on Friday.
Alongside a selection of highlights from his time at Texas Tech, the Tigers dubbed Overton a “elite” guard. The newest member of Auburn’s backcourt was described as a winner by coach Bruce Pearl.
In a statement, Pearl declared, “Kevin Overton is a winner.” At Drake and Texas Tech, he was a member of two remarkable teams with exceptional coaching staffs. His style of play has a direct impact on winning. He has long been regarded as a 3 and D player and a fierce, physical defender. At Auburn, Kevin will have the chance to improve. With Chris Moore, Miles Kelly, and Denver Jones graduating, we needed an experienced coach to guide our youthful backcourt. Kevin’s work ethic, character, and tenacity will strengthen our culture and help us rebuild our roster.
Overton is a 6-foot-5 combo guard who spent 1 season at Drake and a second at Texas Tech. He was an All-Freshman pick in his lone season in the Missouri Valley Conference and then averaged 22 minutes off the bench for the Red Raiders last season.
On a per-40 basis, Overton has averaged 14.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists across his 2-year collegiate career. He shoots 34.0% from beyond the 3-point line and 43.2% from the field.
This offseason, Auburn is welcoming eight new athletes, including Overton. In a class that is ranked 14th in the country, the Tigers have now signed 5 freshmen. In addition to former UCF wing Keyshawn Hall and former Mississippi State forward KeShawn Murphy, Overton is the third transfer pledge.
After winning the SEC regular-season and making it to the Final Four the previous season, Auburn is aiming to rebuild, and Pearl has done a good job of balancing this incoming class with both youthful prospects and instant contributors who can mentor the younger players.
Remove the COVID-altered 2020-21 season, and Auburn has won at least 25 games in 6 of the last 7 seasons. The Tigers have made the national semifinals in the NCAA Tournament twice under Pearl, but they are still pursuing their first national title appearance.
