The Auburn Tigers are adding another experienced piece to their 2026-27 men’s basketball roster, with Utah State transfer guard Kolby King expected to join the program. The move comes after a recent court ruling opened the door for players affected by eligibility rules to receive an additional season.
King is a 6-foot-1/6-foot-2 guard who has already played at four different programs during his college career: St. John’s, Tulane, Butler and Utah State. He spent the 2025-26 season with the Aggies, primarily coming off the bench while providing scoring and perimeter shooting.
What King brings to Auburn
During his lone season at Utah State, King appeared in all 36 games, averaging 7.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 19.2 minutes per game. His shooting numbers were particularly encouraging: he connected on 47.7% of his field-goal attempts and 39.3% from three-point range, while shooting 74.7% from the free-throw line.
King also demonstrated that he could provide offense without needing a huge workload. He scored in double figures 11 times last season and produced a season-high 20 points against Wyoming, adding seven rebounds and two assists in that performance.
That shooting ability could make him a useful addition to an Auburn backcourt that is looking for additional depth and offensive versatility.
Why Auburn was able to add him now
The timing of King’s move is directly connected to a recent eligibility ruling.
A Colorado federal judge, Charlotte Sweeney, issued an injunction involving athletes from the 2022 recruiting class and the NCAA’s new eligibility rules. The ruling provided an avenue for certain players who had been affected by the eligibility restrictions to receive another season.
The NCAA appealed the ruling and advised its member schools against immediately adding players under the changed circumstances, but the decision nevertheless created an unusual late opportunity for programs to strengthen their rosters. Auburn took advantage of that opening by pursuing King.
A well-traveled college career
King’s path to Auburn has been particularly unusual. Rather than spending his entire career at one program, he has moved through four schools in four years.
He began at St. John’s, then spent time at Tulane and Butler before transferring to Utah State for the 2025-26 season. His experience across different programs should give Auburn a player who is already accustomed to adapting to new systems and teammates.
At Utah State, King became part of an Aggies team that went 29-7 overall and 15-5 in Mountain West play, winning both the regular-season and conference tournament titles before advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
What it means for Auburn
For Auburn, King’s arrival provides another experienced guard and another capable three-point shooter. His nearly 40% accuracy from deep last season suggests he can help stretch opposing defenses, while his previous experience gives head coach Steven Pearl another veteran option in the backcourt.
The addition also highlights how dramatically the late offseason has changed for college basketball programs following the eligibility ruling. Auburn had already been reshaping its roster, but the ruling created an unexpected opportunity to add another player with meaningful Division I experience.
King is not coming to Auburn as a high-volume star his 7.5 points per game at Utah State indicate more of a complementary role but his efficiency, experience and shooting could make him valuable in a rotation that needs reliable depth.
In short: Auburn is adding a fifth-year Utah State transfer guard who averaged 7.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 39.3% from three, giving the Tigers another experienced perimeter option for the 2026-27 season.
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