Bruce Pearl’s unexpected resignation as Auburn Tigers head basketball coach on Monday rocked the sports world. Steven, Bruce’s 38-year-old son, will take over on the Plains after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator for the previous several years.
While some Tiger supporters are still unsure what to make of the situation, other clubs are already preparing to take advantage of Auburn’s roster’s 30-day window to enter the transfer portal. AU assembled its current squad through a few intentional recruitment moves, but largely transfers. They are vulnerable, to say the least.
Jon Scheyer, the Duke Blue Devils basketball coach, may be waiting like a vulture to pick the Tigers’ bones. Hugh Straine of Ball Durham believes he should chase Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn’s top returning player.
The argument Straine presented was a smack in Steven’s face.
“Despite playing only 22 minutes a night, he was one of the most effective players on a team that received a 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Final Four. “He’s one of the most popular breakout candidates for the upcoming season and deserves to play at the highest level,” Straine wrote.
The highest level? Like the final four? Last year, both AU and Duke fell in the NCAA Tournament’s last round. The notion that Bruce’s departure diminishes the squad is misguided, given how active Steven has been for some time.
Steven does not have Bruce’s huge, bold personality. To be clear, neither does Scheyer. Steven is an X’s and O’s expert. He’s been the driving force behind the Tigers’ outstanding defense, developing Dylan Cardwell, Chad Baker-Mazara, Chaney Johnson, and Denver Jones into good-to-great defenders.
Steven may not see instant improvement, since there may be additional losses in the next month, and making a dramatic coaching change less than two months before a season begins seldom produces the greatest outcomes.
But sooner rather than later, Auburn basketball will be at the “highest level.”
