With KeShawn Murphy graduating and Filip Jovic opting to transfer to UCLA through the portal, Auburn is in the market for a forward who can contribute right away in the 2026–27 season.
One potential target is Arizona forward Dwayne Aristode, a player who could fit into Steven Pearl’s plans.
According to On3, Auburn has already made an early push for the 6-foot-8 Dutch forward, who entered the transfer portal on Monday with a do-not-contact designation. The report notes that Auburn has quickly become a program to watch in his recruitment, as Steven Pearl reshapes his roster following four portal departures after guiding the Tigers to an NIT championship.
Aristode has been identified as a top priority for Auburn.
During his freshman year with the Wildcats, he posted averages of 3.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 13.2 minutes per game. His standout performance came in an 84–49 win over Northern Arizona in November, where he scored 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
Auburn’s pursuit of the former 5-star recruit continues to build momentum, with Aristode previously ranked as the No. 7 small forward in the 2025 class.
In Arizona’s Final Four loss to eventual champion Michigan, he logged 10 minutes, finishing with three points and two turnovers.
If Auburn lands Aristode, he would join returning players Tahaad Pettiford, Kevin Overton, and Sebastian Williams-Adams, along with incoming French 7-footer Narcisse Ngoy, as Steven Pearl also hopes to retain Elyjah Freeman.
In his first season, Pearl experienced a mixed campaign Auburn went 7–11 in SEC play and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021 but ended on a high note by capturing the NIT title with a win over Tulsa in overtime.
