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Bruce Pearl hasn't had a true point guard - who has stayed healthy - since he's been at Auburn. Tahj Shamsid-Deen fits the bill, but he's spent much of Pearl's tenure sidelined with shoulder issues. Kareem Canty played the position last season while he was with the team, but it was more in name than in the way he played.
Help was already on the way in the form of incoming true freshman Jared Harper, but it's doubtful that Auburn wanted to rely only on a true freshman, even as talented as Harper is. We knew the Tigers would be in the market for a graduate transfer, and now that deal has been sealed. Ronnie Johnson, a 6'0, 180 lbs point guard from Houston, will play his final season of eligibility at Auburn.
Houston graduate transfer Ronnie Johnson tells ESPN he has committed to Auburn. Immediately eligible. https://t.co/iC2EAV8fSo
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 25, 2016
One thing that stands out in his Houston bio right off the bat is that he was an 80% free throw shooter. Free throw shooting doomed the Tigers multiple times last season, so that's a big help. He's shot .357 from 3, and .404 on field goals. His per game average was 9.4 points, playing an average of 22.3 minutes per game.
He didn't add much to the Cougars' rebounding, but at 6'0, that's not surprising. He did still usually pick up a few in each game, and had many more defensive rebounds than offensive.
With Johnson, Harper, and Tahj Shamsid-Deen (if he can stay healthy), Auburn will be pretty set at the Point Guard spot for the first time in a long while.