Steven Pearl discusses the surreal experience of becoming Auburn's head basketball coach, detailing the events leading up to his appointment, including the unexpected timing of his father Bruce Pearl's retirement and the challenges of the transition.
said he waited his entire life for this moment of becoming the head coach of Auburn’s men’s basketball team, calling it his dream job in However, the news of his father Bruce Pearl ’s retirement was not finalized until a day before it was actually announced.
“Bruce Pearl and I have been having hypothetical conversations for a couple of years now and just when he would specifically hang it up, we weren’t sure when that was going to be,” Steven Pearl said Wednesday morning. “It didn’t become a reality until Sunday because that’s when John Cohen pulled me aside and offered the job.” Former Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl, and his wife Brandy watch new Auburn head coach Steven Pearl address the media at his introductory press conference on Sept. 24, 2025“So, behind the scenes, we were getting ready for two different scenarios,” Pearl added. “I wasn’t going to let myself get too high or too low. I was just going to stay focused in my process and helping this team continue to grow. Ultimately on Sunday, when he came in and told , John then pulled me aside after the fact and made me aware of his decision. That’s when the reality sunk in and was very surreal when that moment happened.” ESPN’s Jeff Borzello was first to report the news on Bruce Pearl’s retirement Monday morning. However, that was not how the family wanted the news to break. “Obviously, we’re 48 hours out. Let’s just talk through the realities of what happened on Monday, right? We worked through how we wanted to present it to the players,” Steven Pearl said. “Obviously, we were disappointed how it got out. We did not intend for it to happen that way. It made an already hard situation even more difficult.” Steven described the moment he addressed the team about the transition, calling the room ‘heavy’ when discussing the players’ response. “I think there’s never going be a perfect transition or a perfect way of doing things. There’s just not. It’s really hard to contain those things, but when it did happen, obviously, the room was heavy,” Pearl said. “Our players were very understanding though. They understood why. Having one-on-one conversations with each of them and their families have been nothing but really positive, honestly.” Steven confirmed that every player was practicing and accounted for during Monday and Tuesday’s practice. He thanked each of his players who attended Wednesday’s press conference and shared how they made the transition easier for him on Monday. “We were all rattled on Monday,” Steven Pearl said. “We were surprised. But Abdul Bashir walked into the hallway and just gave me a hug and said, ‘I’m with you coach. I love you.’ Kevin Overton same thing. Kaden Magwood same thing. I needed that in that moment. It’s immediate validation for why we knew you were such special young men.”Steven Pearl is now the youngest head coach in SEC at age 38, surpassing Florida’s Todd Golden and Texas A&M Bucky McMillian . While following in his father Bruce’s footsteps as a collegiate basketball coach, Steven Pearl still plans to still lean on his dad as he’ll be transitioning into an ambassador role for the athletic department and special assistant to the athletic director. “When some interesting scenarios pop up throughout the year that I just haven’t experienced yet, sure, I’m going to reach out to him and ask for his support and his advice because I think he can help,” Pearl said. “I’m going to ask him to come to practice every once in a while, just to bring some additional love and energy into the building,” Pearl added. “Or if we lose a tough game and our guys need a little pick me up, I’d be crazy not to call him and ask him to come and talk to the guys.” Steven will make his Neville Arena debut as the head coach Monday, Nov. 3rd in Auburn’s home opener against Bethune-Cookman. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our
Auburn Basketball Steven Pearl Bruce Pearl Coaching Transition Retirement
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Steven Pearl named Auburn head basketball coach following father Bruce Pearl's retirementMontgomery, Alabama
Read more »
Bruce Pearl Retires as Auburn's HC, Son Steven Pearl Set to Take OverAuburn men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl is expected to retire. His son, Steven, is expected to be named the head coach for the upcoming season.
Read more »
Why Auburn saw Steven Pearl as ‘clearly the best fit’ to succeed Bruce PearlLeadership of the Auburn men's basketball program is staying in the family. Here's why Auburn believes it's the right move
Read more »
Steven Pearl Named Auburn Basketball Head CoachSteven Pearl, son of retiring coach Bruce Pearl, has been appointed as the new head coach of Auburn University's basketball team, following in his father's footsteps after years of service within the program.
Read more »
Live updates: Steven Pearl introduced as Auburn men’s basketball coachLive feed of Steven Pearl's press conference as the new Auburn men's basketball coach
Read more »
What are Steven Pearl’s expectations for the 2025-26 Auburn basketball season.Pearl emphasizes elite transition offense and defense as priorities while preparing for the exhibition against Oklahoma State on October 15.
Read more »