Malik Dunbar, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound guard/forward from North Augusta, S.C., and the College of Central Florida in Ocala, has signed a national letter of intent to Auburn University, head coach Bruce Pearl announced Monday.
Dunbar averaged 15.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 27.2 minutes per game this past season as a sophomore while leading the College of Central Florida to a 23-8 record under coach Tim Ryan. Dunbar started all 28 games he played while shooting 49.4 percent from the floor, 70.9 percent from the foul line and 29.3 percent from 3-point range.
In the Florida JUCO Shootout in December, Dunbar averaged 29.5 points and 10.5 rebounds. He totaled 32 points and 11 rebounds while going 10-of-17 from the field, 3-of-6 from 3-point range and 9-of-11 from the foul line in an 84-73 win over Broward College.
“One of our biggest weaknesses last season was defense, rebounding and physical play,” said Pearl. “Malik brings a toughness and a winning attitude to Auburn. He didn’t spend years out on the AAU circuit as a younger player and developed into a dominant player under Tim Ryan at Central Florida. Malik comes from a large family where there is a lot of love, and I think the opportunity of a program that stresses family was really desirable to him.”
He averaged 10.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 23.1 minutes per game as a freshman helping the College of Central Florida to the Mid-Florida Conference co-Championship with a 23-8 record in 2016. He shot 40.3 percent from the field, 73.5 percent from the foul line and 26.5 percent from behind the arc while starting 29 of 31 games.
Dunbar was a South Carolina Class 4A first-team all-state selection as a senior at Spring Valley High School in Columbia in 2014-15.
Dunbar joins two other incoming Tigers for next season in November signees four-star Davion Mitchell, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound guard from Hinesville, Ga., and Liberty County High School; and four-star Georgia Mr. Basketball Chuma Okeke, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward from Atlanta, Ga., and Westlake High School.
