5-Star PG Sharife Cooper Cleared to Play for Auburn vs. Alabama

Auburn freshman guard Sharife Cooper, a 5-star prospect from the 2020 recruiting class, will make his team debut Saturday against SEC rival Alabama after being cleared by the NCAA following an investigation into his eligibility.

Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl confirmed the news, per CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein.

Cooper missed Auburn's first 11 games of the 2020-21 season while awaiting an NCAA decision. The team posted a 6-5 record during his absence, including a current three-game losing streak.

ESPN's Jeff Borzello reported representatives for the guard started to reach out to teams in Europe and Australia for pro opportunities in case he was declared ineligible, but he preferred to remain with the Tigers.

Cooper returned to practice with his teammates Dec. 28 to begin preparations for a possible debut, per Tom Green of AL.com.

The Tigers could use a spark at both ends of the floor heading into Saturday's clash with the Crimson Tide. They enter the day 67th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 98th in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

While Auburn has been on a slide, Alabama (8-3) comes into the contest red hot with four straight wins, including a 71-63 victory over No. 7 Tennessee last Saturday.

It's unclear how much run Cooper will get in his debut with less than two weeks since he returned to practice, but his playing time should steadily increase during the remainder of the regular season.