Purifoy ineligible, will redshirt
Forward Danjel Purifoy was ruled ineligible by the NCAA but will return as a redshirt freshman next season.
AUBURN | After months and months of waiting, Danjel Purifoy finally has his answer.
The true freshman forward has been ruled ineligible for the remainder of the season by the NCAA due to questions surrounding his ACT score, Auburn announced Tuesday. Purifoy can continue practicing with the team and will be eligible to play next season as a redshirt freshman.
Purifoy is one of four potential starters currently out of the lineup. Leading scorer Kareem Canty quit last week after being suspended, Tahj Shamsid-Deen is out for the season after undergoing his third shoulder surgery in the last year and TJ Dunans hasn’t played since injuring his knee Dec. 23 and subsequently undergoing surgery.
Purifoy, who coach Bruce Pearl referred to as the player with the most NBA potential, has sat out all season waiting for a ruling on his eligibility.
“I’ve not experienced anything quite like this, but that’s the status of our program right now,” Pearl said last week. “Recruiting has gone well. We’ve got more help coming, and I will do the best I can with this team knowing that we’ve got good players coming that should help us make the kind of progress that we want to make.”
Purifoy, 6-foot-7, averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks and 20 deflections a game at Hargrave Military Academy last season. The Centreville, Ala., native averaged 17.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game at Bibb County as a junior.