Charles Barkley Supports Bruce Pearl Leaving Auburn to Pursue Political Role originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Last season, the Auburn Tigers basketball program went 32-6 while reaching the Final Four for just the second time in school history. Largely irrelevant in the 1990s and early 2000s, Auburn’s success last year comes at a time when the Tigers have won at least 20 games every year but once since 2017.
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The power shift in the SEC correlates with Auburn’s hiring of head coach Bruce Pearl ahead of the 2014-15 season. A decade later, the four-time SEC Coach of the Year has Auburn routinely in the mix for conference and national titles.
For many coaches in similar situations, a jump to a NIL-rich school or a stint in the NBA would be a logical next step; however, this is not the case for Pearl. An outspoken leader, Pearl remains linked to a potential run for the United States Senate.
Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl.Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Speculation swirls around Pearl, with the 65-year-old potentially throwing his hat in the ring as a Republican candidate for the Alabama Senate seat previously held by former Auburn Tigers football coach Tommy Tuberville.
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Although he has not confirmed (nor denied) an interest in a seat in the Senate, one former Auburn legend supports a transition in professions by Pearl.
Auburn legend Charles Barkley, who earned All-SEC honors three times with the Tigers in the early 80s, showed approval for Pearl, saying, “I respect and trust him. I just told him to do what he wants to do.”
“Obviously, he’s made Auburn basketball relevant, which makes me happy. I said, ‘Hey, man, as much as I love you being the head basketball coach at Auburn, you taking Auburn to two Final Fours, something I never thought would happen, but I do understand,” emphasized Barkley.
Barkley pointed at the shift in college basketball as a reason Pearl could want out in the Plains. Since the dawn of NIL, college sports have continued to evolve into an increasingly competitive arms race for talent. This transformation has led some coaches to sour on a head coaching position.
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Despite never winning a national title, Pearl has had one of the most well-rounded careers among college coaches. He has won some form of a Coach of the Year honor at all four of his stops, bookended by his receiving the NABC Division II Coach of the Year award in 1995 while leading the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles and taking home the SEC Coach of the Year award with Auburn last season.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
