AUBURN, Alabama—A Top 100 player nationally and one of two Auburn signees in the 2024 class, 6-6 Jahki Howard was back on campus Saturday to see the No. 16 Tigers in action as Bruce Pearl’s team took down LSU to improve to 14-2 overall and 3-0 in SEC play. Just a few months from being at Auburn and part of the program, Howard said he had a great time watching Auburn continue its roll.
“It was amazing,” Howard said. “It was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. I didn’t think it was going to be quite like this. You always hear the stories, so it was a good experience.”
A talented perimeter player that can play above the rim, Howard is one of the most dynamic players in the country. With the ability to pay the up-tempo game, he said he loves watching Auburn and how they let guys go make plays. Coming in with AAU teammate Tahaad Pettiford gives Howard even more of an idea of what to expect when he gets to Auburn.
“My teammate (Tahaad Pettiford) is also committed and he’s a great point guard. I see how they push the floor and connect with the alleys. It’s going to be a fun experience with how fast they play. They’re always on the run.
“It’s pretty amazing,” he added of coming in with Pettiford. “He’s a special player. He’s a one and done for sure and probably one of the top scorers in our class. It’s very fun playing with him, but also realizing that all of the attention on him is going to get me open and he’s going to find me.”
Playing for powerhouse Overtime Elite against some of the top competition in the country, Howard is having a strong senior season. He’s currently averaging 14.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while averaging 25 minutes of action per night. Shooting 77 percent from the free throw line, Howard is shooting less than 30 percent from behind the arc.
Expected to be a small forward when he gets to Auburn, he knows he’ll be counted on to provide some offense for the Tigers, but he said his first order of business is to get physically ready for life in the Southeastern Conference.
“I would probably say getting stronger,” Howard said. “A lot of the SEC guards and forwards are a lot stronger and bigger. Other than that, I think just my ball handling and getting stronger.”
“It was the team atmosphere,” he said. “They are so together as a team. It’s like a family. My family has always been big on family and that’s the biggest thing coming to a place like this. You just see how beautiful everything is. That’s a big reason.”
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