Auburn basketball has found its next head coach following the shocking announcement of Bruce Pearl’s retirement.
The transition will be easy, as Steven Pearl, a longtime Auburn assistant and the son of Bruce Pearl, is set to take over the program as the 22nd head coach in program history. Pearl has agreed to a five-year contract with Auburn to become the full-time head coach and not serve as an interim.
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Pearl says that he is grateful for the opportunity to lead the Auburn men’s basketball program and to continue the legacy that his father is leaving behind.
“I’m incredibly grateful to President Dr. Roberts, Athletics Director John Cohen, and the entire Auburn leadership team for entrusting me with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Pearl said in a press release. “In a sense, I’ve spent my lifetime preparing for this moment, learning from one of the best in BP, and building a foundation rooted in character, hard work, and team-first values. We’re not starting over — we’re building forward, with the same principles that have made Auburn Basketball elite. I’m honored to lead this program, and I’m ready to rise to the moment.”
Auburn athletic director John Cohen shared in a statement Monday that plans to replace Bruce Pearl were in the making shortly after accepting the job three years ago, as Pearl alerted Cohen that he “was near the end of his coaching days.” After careful evaluation, Cohen says that the choice to promote Steven Pearl to head coach was a no-brainer.
“Throughout our detailed process, it became obvious to me and our staff that Steven Pearl was clearly the best fit for Auburn. His expertise in coaching defense, his skills as an evaluator, recruiter, teacher and motivator, and his relationships with our student-athletes and staff were paramount.
“As the associate head coach on what I consider to be one of the elite coaching staffs in college basketball, Steven has played a prominent role in Auburn’s unprecedented success.
“The uncommon stability of Auburn’s coaching staff is a huge reason why our men’s basketball program has won five SEC championships and made two trips to the Final Four in the past eight seasons. Keeping that staff intact was a high priority, and very much a part of our decision-making process. We are thrilled to congratulate Steven and Brittany and are excited to watch Steven lead the program into this next chapter.”
Pearl joined his father’s coaching staff ahead of the 2017-18 season as an assistant coach before transitioning to associate head coach ahead of the 2023-24 season. He was a part of both Final Four coaching staffs in 2018 and 2025, and was a key part in the development of seven NBA draft picks including Jabari Smith, Walker Kessler, and Johni Broome.
The new era of Auburn basketball under the watch of Steven Pearl begins Wednesday, Oct. 15, when the Tigers travel to Birmingham to scrimmage Oklahoma State at Boutwell Auditorium.
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn basketball agrees to deal with new head coach Steven Pearl
