All About JUCO Transfer Abdul Bashir

The Bashir name might sound familiar. Abdul’s twin brother, Abdi, was Monmouth’s leading scorer in their December 30 matchup against Auburn. While Abdi went straight to Division I, Abdul took the JUCO route at Casper College, where he earned NJCAA Division I All-American honors in 2025. He committed to Auburn at the start of the year over offers from Texas A&M, UCF, Kansas State, Seton Hall, and more. Bruce Pearl recruited Abdi as well, but he chose Kansas State to continue his career.

Abdul and Abdi Bashir are proud Somali-Americans. Their mother immigrated to Minnesota from a Somali refugee camp. The twins were born in Minnesota in 2003, and their father eventually joined the family in Omaha, Nebraska.

Iron Sharpens Iron

The Bashir twins grew up pushing each other on the court. Now, they’re two of the only Somali-American players in Division I basketball, representing their heritage on the national stage.

They played together their junior year at Minnesota Prep before going their separate ways to different prep schools — Abdi to PHH Prep in Phoenix, Arizona and Abdul to Colorado Prep in Westminster, Colorado.

Following prep school, they both found immediate success at the next level. Abdi, now at Kansas State, spent the past two years at Monmouth as a highly productive shooter, hitting 127 three-pointers last season, including 10 in a single game against Rutgers.

Abdul instead played JUCO ball at Casper College in Wyoming, where he proved he belonged at the Division I level. He averaged 27.2 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists per game while shooting 41.4% from the field and 36.8% from three-point range, earning recognition as the No. 1 JUCO player in the country in 2025.

Fitting Into Steven Pearl's Program

Standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 180 pounds, Bashir is first and foremost a scorer. His height gives him mismatch potential, but he also excels at creating his own shot. With the departures of Miles Kelly and Denver Jones from Auburn's backcourt, the Tigers were in dire need of an elite shooter, and Bashir has the potential to fill that role. He notched four 40-point games last season, including a career-high 49 against Laramie County Community College.

Bruce Pearl summed up what Bashir brings:

“Abdul is a special talent. If he can see it, he can make it. Falling in line with some of the great shooters we’ve had here at Auburn. He has great length, instinct and feel for the game. With three years of eligibility, I am excited about Abdul working on his body, improving his skills and becoming a dominant player.”

Steven Pearl has a new lineup to fine-tune, and while the starting rotation isn't set yet, Bashir and Texas Tech transfer Kevin Overton are likely to compete for the two-spot. Overton's proven defensive capabilities may give him the edge to start but he is not a prolific scorer like Bashir, averaging just 7.8 points per game last year. Freshman Simon Walker will likely sit behind both while rehabbing from foot surgery after a late-September practice injury.

With three years of eligibility remaining, Bashir is all-in on Auburn. That gives the Tigers time to develop him if the JUCO-to-SEC jump takes some adjustment. Notably, after Bruce Pearl’s resignation, Abdul was one of the first players to approach Steven Pearl as he stepped into the head coaching role.

Looking forward

Abdul Bashir arrives at Auburn with the résumé of a proven scorer, but the jump from JUCO to the SEC is significant. He'll face stronger defenders who punish mistakes. However, his ability to create his own shot and stretch the defense gives him a chance to find his place on Auburn's new roster.

If he's not part of the starting five, Steven Pearl can look to Bashir to provide instant offense off the bench. With three full years of eligibility, he has the upside to develop into one of the SEC’s top shooters.

If Bashir adjusts quickly, the Tigers may have found their next great shooter. If it takes time, the long-term payoff still looks worth the wait.