Auburn Guard Kaden Magwood Entering Transfer Portal

Freshman guard plans to leave program after one season under new head coach Steven Pearl.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 1:35pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Auburn freshman guard Kaden Magwood has announced plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, departing the program after just one season. Magwood, a four-star recruit in the Class of 2025, averaged 3.7 points, 1.8 assists, and 0.9 rebounds for the Tigers, who missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021 under new head coach Steven Pearl.

Why it matters

Magwood's departure is the first significant roster move for Pearl, who took over the Auburn program after his father, Bruce Pearl, announced his retirement just before the 2025-26 season. The younger Pearl will now have to rebuild the Tigers' roster and re-establish the program as a contender in the SEC after a disappointing 17-16 campaign.

The details

In his lone season at Auburn, Magwood scored a season-high 14 points in the Tigers' NIT First Round victory over South Alabama. The Louisville native was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, but was unable to make a major impact in his freshman year as Auburn missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five seasons.

  • Magwood announced his plans to enter the Transfer Portal on April 8, 2026.
  • Auburn finished the 2025-26 season with a 17-16 record, missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021.

The players

Kaden Magwood

A freshman guard who averaged 3.7 points, 1.8 assists, and 0.9 rebounds in his lone season at Auburn.

Steven Pearl

The new head coach of the Auburn men's basketball team, taking over after his father Bruce Pearl's retirement.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“If you look at our résumé, if you compare us to the rest of the teams on the bubble, which I'm happy to go over all these notes with you, we deserve to be in the tournament.”

— Steven Pearl, Auburn Head Coach

What’s next

With Magwood's departure, Pearl will now have to rebuild Auburn's roster and try to get the program back to the NCAA Tournament in his second season as head coach.

The takeaway

Kaden Magwood's decision to enter the Transfer Portal is the first significant roster move for new Auburn head coach Steven Pearl, who will now have to quickly re-establish the Tigers as a contender in the SEC after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign.