:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47271138/Screen_Shot_2015-09-26_at_12.11.03_PM.0.0.png)
We knew there was the possibility of some big basketball news this weekend as Auburn is hosting a number of 5*s from 2016 and 2017. I didn't expect the news to come so quickly, though!
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I'm proud to say that I will be furthering my education and basketball career at Auburn University <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WarEagle?src=hash">#WarEagle</a></p>— Austin Wiley (@__Austinwiley50) <a href="https://twitter.com/__Austinwiley50/status/647813891381071872">September 26, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This morning 2017 5* Center (and Auburn legacy) Austin Wiley of Spain Park committed to the Tigers. Wiley is the son of Vicki Orr-Wiley, a Bronze Medalist for the United States in the 1992 Olympics and Gold Medalist in the 1990 FIBA World Championship. She also starred at Auburn University for the women's basketball team.
His basketball pedigree is strong, but he's earned his position in his own right. You don't get to be a 5* basketball recruit very easily. Having his mother as an Auburn graduate certainly helped sway him to the Tigers, but there were tons of other opportunities on the table for him.
His 247 Sports Profile lists him at 6'9, 233 lbs. He's the #21 player nationally according to their composite, and the #2 ranked player in the state of Alabama for 2017. He boasted offers from Kansas, Michigan State, North Carolina, Duke, and Kentucky among many others. It's easy to see he was a sought after recruit.
Highlights
If you want to see highlights of him, here is a link to his Hudl page, and here are a couple of YouTube embeds!
<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/eBCDlsBb860' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/EqvLNq8g7Us' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
It's easy to see why everyone is excited about this kid. I can't wait until he makes it to the Plains!
The Class
He's the sole recruit for 2017 so far, but he's enough to put the Tigers at #2 nationally and #1 in the SEC for 2017 at the moment. That should give you more reason to understand just how big it is to get him. Having a 5* on board first to point to and build the 2017 class around is going to be huge going forward. War Eagle!