There were some unrealistic outside expectations of Austin Wiley in his freshman season at Auburn, but the bar is being set high inside the program for his sophomore year.

Even as he finished high school in December and enrolled early, Wiley instantly joined the lineup and averaged 8.8 points and 4.7 rebounds while making 22 starts in 23 games last season.

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl expects that experience to pay dividends and plans to have the Tigers turn to the 6-foot-11 center more in 2017-18.

"He got a chance to see the speed of the game," Pearl said. "He got a chance to see how explosive the other players are. He got a chance to go up against quality size, and he didn't, and we didn't take full advantage of him because he was coming in trying to fit it.

"Now in this offseason, we're able to build some things around him. He's going to get a lot more touches. We're going to be looking at him more because he presents so much advantage down there in the post."

Auburn was hoping to run more pick-and-rolls once Wiley joined the squad but it never materialized last season.

The additions of junior college transfer Malik Dunbar, Desean Murray being eligible after sitting out last season and freshmen Davion Mitchell and Chuma Okeke give Auburn more depth along with the seven returning players from last year's team.

"This now is a very, very good returning group," Pearl said. "We learned a great deal from last year, good, bad and ugly. We've added a couple of really good transfers and freshmen, and this is by far the most talented and deepest roster since I've been at Auburn and I'm excited. ...

"We are two deep in every position and we're going to anticipate that depth certainly will give us competition for positions, but probably and more importantly allow us to withstand injury, withstand foul trouble, and play at the pace I want to play. I think when we go to our bench we will not drop off. So how can we wear our opponent down with how we defend, with how we run, with how we press, with not letting our opponent rest. That's the way you take advantage of your depth."

Auburn returns its top four scorers from last season, including Wiley, but Mustapha Heron and Danjel Purifoy will be nearly as important.

After averaging team-highs in points (15.2) and rebounds (6.1) while playing mostly at the three guard, Heron is expected to spend most of his time at shooting guard and Purifoy (11.5 points, 4.7 rebounds) will move from being stretch four to a small forward.

"I think that (Heron's) ability to play make and defend will improve in this offseason because last year he was able to score and rebound and get to the foul line at a very high level," Pearl said. "... The biggest area (Purifoy) has to improve on is the defensive area and the physicality of the game. I think playing against players his own size now is going to allow him to do that."

Defense is the area where Auburn was most sorely lacking last season and the newcomers are expected to help on that end.

Pearl believes Dunbar, Murray, Mitchell and Okeke are all "tough," an attribute the Tigers sorely lacked last season.

"They are going to bring an edge to us," Pearl said. "All four of those kids I think bring a level of physicality and toughness that'll really help our team."

As for leadership, another area where there was a void last season until graduate transfer Ronnie Johnson began to contribute more in the second half of the season, the onus is falling on the shoulders of Wiley.

"Nobody loves Auburn more, nobody trains harder, nobody's been more coachable," Pearl said. "So now Austin's leadership abilities - this is his team - is starting to take hold in this offseason and that ownership I think is going to help our chemistry."