Dynamic scoring guard George Kimble III commits to Auburn

Auburn has added another piece to its backcourt, landing Vanderbilt guard transfer George Kimble III.

Kimble comes to Auburn with multiple years of eligibility and after sitting out one season at Vanderbilt.

“It’s interesting because right before the portal really picked up, me, my family and my agent all sat down and prayed. We were basically asking God to weed out the spots that weren’t for me and help me find the right opportunity,” Kimble III told AuburnSports.

“The next day, Auburn called.

“So we looked at that like a direct sign. After that, we got on Zoom pretty quickly, set up the visit, and once I got down there, I loved the campus and the staff. It was an easy decision for me.”

Kimble III visited Auburn quickly on Monday before heading back to Nashville.

“Coach (Steven) Pearl knows I have something to prove and that I’m playing with a chip on my shoulder. He gave me the opportunity and believed in me to come back and prove that in the SEC,” he said.

“And just being around all the coaches, it felt like a family environment. The best places I’ve thrived in during my basketball career have been places that felt like family from top to bottom — players, coaches, staff, trainers, strength coach, everybody.

“The campus was beautiful. The fans seemed engaged. Everything about it made me and my family feel like it was the right spot.”

Kimble III enjoyed a strong sophomore season at Eastern Kentucky, where he earned second-team All-Atlantic Sun honors before suffering a season-ending injury. In 25 starts, he averaged 18.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.6 steals per game.

The 6-foot-2 guard was one of the most productive two-way players in the ASUN. He ranked second in the league in scoring and led the conference in steals per game and free throw percentage, knocking down 85.1 percent from the line. Nationally, Kimble finished sixth in steals per game.

Kimble shot 38 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3-point range, while also making 65 total steals. He had several standout performances, including a 33-point game against Central Arkansas and a 24-point outing at Louisville.

Kimble projects as a combo guard option for Auburn, bringing scoring ability, defensive playmaking and experience to the backcourt. He adds depth behind Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton as Auburn continues to round out its roster for the upcoming season.

“I mean, it’s a great opportunity, first of all, to play against the best competition in the country, both in non-conference play and during the league season. That’s a huge opportunity,” Kimble III said.

“And with Haad and KO coming back, it gives us a chance to have three skilled guards. Especially when you watch late March, guards are such a big part of why teams win. Having three good guards who can handle it and defend multiple positions is big. I’m confident in what we can do.”

Kimble III injured his knee in February of his last season at Eastern Kentucky. The plan all along was to redshirt and rehab while at Vanderbilt. Reporting to Auburn soon, Kimble III says he’s ready to go.

“I’m back healthy, 100 percent,” he said.

“I feel great. Honestly, I feel better than I did at EKU — stronger. I’ve gained 13 pounds here. I’m more athletic, more explosive. I’m definitely excited to get started.”

Before his time at Eastern Kentucky, Kimble starred as a freshman at Eckerd College, where he was named Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year. He averaged 19.4 points and 4.6 assists per game while earning all-region honors at the Division II level.

Player	Rising Class	Position	Trending
Overton	Senior	2	RETURNING
Freeman	Junior	3	TRANSFER
Pettiford	Junior	1/2	RETURNING
Williams-Adams	Sophomore	4/5	TRANSFER
Jovic	Sophomore	4/5	TRANSFER
Bashir	Junior	2	TRANSFER
Magwood	Sophomore	1/2	TRANSFER
Walker	Sophomore	2	RETURNING
Opurum	Sophomore	5	RETURNING
Muschalek	Senior	2	RETURNING
Narcisse Ngoy	Junior	5	Signee
Caleb Williams	Freshman	3	Signee
Bukky Oboye	Junior	5	Signee
Owen Freeman	Senior	4/5	Commit
Thomas Dowd	Senior	3/4	Commit
Adam Olsen	Senior	4	Signee
George Kimble III	Junior	1/2	Commit