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Bruce Pearl Defends Hiring of Son at Auburn
Former coach claims 'no nepotism' in hiring of son as new head coach
Mar. 2, 2026 at 1:28pm
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Former Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl caused a stir last week when he argued that undefeated Miami (OH) should not receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament if they don't win the MAC Tournament. With Auburn on the NCAA Tournament bubble, some fans claimed Pearl is biased due to his son Steven being hired as Auburn's new head coach. On Monday, Pearl responded to these allegations, claiming there is "no nepotism" involved in his son's hiring.
Why it matters
The debate over whether an undefeated mid-major team like Miami (OH) should receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament highlights the ongoing tensions between power conference teams and smaller programs. Pearl's comments have also raised questions about potential conflicts of interest, as his son is now the head coach at Auburn, Pearl's former team.
The details
Pearl's son, Steven, was hired as Auburn's new head coach in September 2025 after Bruce Pearl unexpectedly announced his retirement. Steven Pearl signed a five-year deal with the school. As of this report, Auburn is 15-14 overall and 6-10 in conference play, a stark contrast to Bruce Pearl's final season when he guided the team to the Final Four.
- Bruce Pearl made comments about Miami (OH) during a Big East college basketball studio show for TNT Sports last week.
- On Monday, Pearl responded to allegations of bias due to his son's hiring as Auburn's new head coach.
The players
Bruce Pearl
Former head coach of the Auburn men's basketball team.
Steven Pearl
Current head coach of the Auburn men's basketball team and son of Bruce Pearl.
David Sayler
Athletic director of Miami (OH) University, who fired back at Bruce Pearl's comments about his team.
What they’re saying
“There's no loving my son. There's no nepotism involved here. Someday you'll give it to your son.”
— Bruce Pearl, Former Auburn Head Coach
“@coachbrucepearl u are flat out wrong about @MiamiOH_BBall when u say we would finish last in the Big East. The disrespect is awful and u should not be near a TV studio covering this sport when u show your true colors! Even slipped in a 'we' when talking about Auburn, nice work!”
— David Sayler, Miami (OH) Athletic Director
What’s next
The NCAA Tournament selection committee will have to make a difficult decision on whether to include an undefeated mid-major team like Miami (OH) if they don't win their conference tournament.
The takeaway
This debate highlights the ongoing tensions between power conference teams and smaller programs when it comes to at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament. It also raises questions about potential conflicts of interest when a coach's son is hired by their former team.
