NBA not likely in Bruce Pearl’s future after abrupt Auburn resignation

Bruce Pearl shocked the college basketball world Monday, stepping down as Auburn's head coach just weeks before the season begins. And while his name has popped up in NBA speculation over the years, sources told Hoops Wire that a jump to the pros is not on the horizon.

Pearl, 65, is walking away after 11 seasons on the Plains — and just months removed from guiding the Tigers to their second Final Four. His son, associate head coach Steve Pearl, is expected to take over.

It’s a sudden ending for one of college basketball’s most colorful figures. Auburn went 28-5 last season, earned a No. 1 overall seed, and Pearl was named co-National Coach of the Year with St. John’s Rick Pitino. His 2019 run to the school’s first-ever Final Four cemented Auburn as a national player.

Before that, Pearl took Tennessee to six straight NCAA Tournaments, but also faced his share of controversy, including being fired in 2011 for lying to the NCAA during a recruiting probe.

NBA executives have long respected Pearl’s energy and ability to connect with players, but there’s little indication he’ll chase a pro gig now.

Instead, as one source put it, “He’s more likely headed for politics than the NBA.”

For Auburn, the timing is tough. College basketball is just six weeks from tip-off and suddenly facing life without the man who elevated the Tigers to national prominence.