Sachin Shankar Yadav 
After 11 seasons with the Tigers, Bruce Pearl, the wildly successful men’s basketball coach at Auburn University, has formally retired, ending a chapter in the program’s history. The Pearl tradition at Auburn will continue with the appointment of his son, Steven Pearl, as the new head coach.
Since his arrival in 2014, 65-year-old Bruce Pearl has revolutionized Auburn basketball. The Tigers made two Final Four appearances under his direction, including their historic first in 2019 and another in 2025, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament six times in the previous seven years. With a 246-125 record at Auburn and a 477-224 overall NCAA career record, Pearl’s teams won numerous SEC regular season and tournament titles, securing his place as the school’s all-time winningest coach.
Bruce’s 38-year-old son, Steven Pearl, joined Auburn’s coaching staff in 2014 and was elevated to associate head coach in 2023. Having previously filled in as interim head coach during his father’s brief absences, he will now formally guide the team into a new era with the goal of building on Bruce Pearl’s legacy.
Bruce Pearl announced his retirement a few weeks after leading Auburn to an SEC title and a school-record 32 victories, where the Tigers secured the top seed in the NCAA Tournament. His decision to leave when he felt he couldn’t give “100%” was both a personal one and a career turning point as he hands the reins over to his son. Pearl departs from a program known for its tenacity, expansion, and spirit of competition.
In addition to marking the conclusion of Bruce Pearl’s incredible tenure at Auburn, this change also paves the way for an exciting future under Steven Pearl’s direction.