""I've been a part of college basketball for almost 50 years, and the truth is, it's time," Pearl said tearfully in a video announcing his retirement. "I told myself when I got to the point where I could not give it my all, or I wasn't necessarily 100%, or I couldn't be the relentless competitor that [Auburn fans] expected of me, that it was going to be time.""
"Pearl retires with a 694-270 all-time record as a head coach at Southern Indiana (1992-2001), Milwaukee (2001-05), Tennessee (2005-11) and Auburn (2014-25). His 232-125 record at Auburn makes him the winningest head coach in program history. He also took the Tigers to two Final Fours in his 11 seasons, including as a No. 1 seed in 2025."
"There were certainly low points -- namely the three-year show-cause for lying to the NCAA regarding recruiting violations -- but I believe Pearl's legacy will be as a motivator and program-builder."
Bruce Pearl announced his retirement 42 days before the 2025-26 season, saying he could no longer give 100 percent after nearly 50 years in college basketball. He finishes with a 694-270 career record across Southern Indiana, Milwaukee, Tennessee and Auburn, including a 232-125 mark at Auburn, making him the program's winningest coach. He led Auburn to two Final Fours in 11 seasons, including a No. 1 seed in 2025. Associate head coach Steven Pearl will take over as head coach. Observers note both on-court success and past low points, including a three-year show-cause penalty.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]