Jahki Howard Looks To Make Impact in Freshman Campaign With Auburn Tigers

The incoming freshman likes what's coming together at Auburn and is eager to make an impact out of the gate

The incoming freshman is eager to go out and make an impact on the Auburn Tigers / Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Auburn Tigers have a veteran roster this season, a group that features 10 seniors.

Despite being packed with veterans, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl and company will be looking to get everything possible out of the team’s young players as well.

One of these young players is Jahki Howard, a 6-foot-6 freshman forward. Howard joins Tahaad Pettiford as Auburn’s freshman duo in a group of guys who have been around the block a few times.

According to 247Sports, Howards was the No. 61 player nationally, the No. 14 small forward and the No. 5 player from Georgia.

The Boston native attended Overtime Elite Academy for high school, one of the top developmental programs for high school basketball players. This experience was beneficial for Howard’s growth on and off the court.

“It helped me,” Howard said. “Just playing against highly talented players. Being 16-18 years old, playing against 19-, 20-year-old grown men, top-five picks, I just feel like it was a great experience. It is really good for basketball development.”

Howard has gotten the transition to college out of the way and is ready to focus on the season, which includes a tough non-conference schedule early on. He credits Overtime Eilte with preparing him for that adjustment.

“That’s another thing OTE (Overtime Elite) prepared me for,” Howard said. “The schedule of being a college student, still being a student-athlete, I feel like they prepared me very well for that.”

Landing some of the country’s best talent has become more common for Pearl. Howard was one of the many prospects who wanted to play for Pearl but one of the few getting the opportunity to do so. Howard expressed his excitement about getting to play for his top coach of choice.

“For me, BP (Bruce Pearl) was always my dream coach,” Howard said. “BP recruited me since I was a very young age. Personality wise, me being seen as a hot head, BP sees it as a sign of passion, that’s how he is. Also being from Boston, my mom really likes BP and it’s been a great experience so far.”

Howard has gotten to know Pettiford, his fellow 2024 recruit. That connection helped Howard decide to come to Auburn.

“I would say for one, it’d be my teammate Tahaad (Pettiford),” Howard said on what made Auburn stand out to him. “Staying with him, being close to him for a very long time. Living in Boston, him in (New) Jersey, very close. I love playing with him.

“It just kind of felt like this is where I was supposed to be.”

Pettiford is the 29th player in the country, according to 247 sports. He ranked as the second-best point guard in the country and is the third-best player coming out of New Jersey.

Auburn underwent a transition this offseason and welcomed some new faces. Despite a lot of the guys on the team playing together for the first time, Howard likes what he sees from the Tigers on the court and thinks they have what it takes to accomplish a lot this season.

“I feel like it’s a great team,” Howard said. “The connection off the court might be a little bit stronger. Our bond, our energy. I feel like we’re athletic.”

Howard and the Tigers officially open the season against Vermont at home inside Neville Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 6. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT and the television broadcast can be found on SEC Network+.