OPELIKA, Ala. – Charles Barkley could not – and did not – pass up the opportunity to tease Bruce Pearl Monday at their 10th annual Bruce, Barkley & Basketball Golf Classic Presented by YellaWood.
“Hey fellas, I’ve got the interview over here with the coach,” Barkley joked, loudly asking questions of Steven Pearl not far from where Bruce Pearl was speaking to reporters outside the Grand National clubhouse.
Minutes later, Barkley doubled down when addressing participants before they teed off.
“I know y’all are thinking, why is Bruce Pearl here still?” Barkley said, drawing laughter.
For both Pearls, the whole-hearted support from Auburn basketball’s most famous alum is no laughing matter.
“Not just this program but this university,” Steven Pearl said. “He’s the greatest ambassador in the history of Auburn University, Auburn Athletics, Auburn basketball. For him to be so proud, through thick and thin, of this university speaks to the character of him and who he is, and really what Auburn represents. There couldn’t be a better person to do it.”
Bruce Pearl’s recent transition from head coach to special assistant to the athletics director gives Barkley a sidekick in championing Auburn.
“It’s like a two-headed monster,” Steven Pearl said. “You have him and BP doing it at the same time. There really couldn’t be a better time for Auburn to have two of the greatest ambassadors in the history of the university out there doing the same thing at the same time.”
Three weeks away from his debut as Auburn’s head coach on Nov. 3 vs. Bethune-Cookman, Steven Pearl and the Tigers play an exhibition game Wednesday vs. Oklahoma State in Birmingham’s Boutwell Auditorium.
“It’s going to test some of our toughness and physicality and see who rises to the occasion,” Steven Pearl said.
Bruce Pearl gave his son some fatherly advice as Steven prepares to fill his father’s hall of fame shoes, the same advice BP received from his mentor, hall of fame coach Dr. Tom Davis
“No. 1, do what we did on the court. Play the way we played. You understand the system. That’s going to be no problem with Steven,” he said. “The second thing is be yourself. Steven needs to be Steven Pearl. He’ll continue to do the things we do, on and off the court, because that’s how he was raised.”
Barkley, who led Auburn to its first NCAA Tournament appearance before becoming an NBA MVP, two-time Olympic gold medalist and basketball hall of famer, reflected on what Auburn has meant to him over the past 45 years.
“Auburn has affected my life more than anything,” Barkley said. “It’s a very unique place. I did not know what a family it was until I got here. I came here to play basketball and that turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made because I got to play right away and that obviously helped me become a better player.
“Over the years, I’ve realized what an amazing family it is. I’ve been all over the world and had people screaming War Eagle at me, it’s special. When you’re in Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan or China and somebody’s screaming War Eagle at you, it’s pretty cool.”