Greg Sankey reveals conversation he had with Bruce Pearl before retirement

Bruce Pearl’s shocking retirement came just months ahead of the new college basketball season. In turn, his son, Steven Pearl, has taken over the Auburn head coaching duties for his father.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey revealed that he spoke to the former Tigers head coach just days before the announcement. Bruce seemed to allude to an upcoming shift within the Auburn program.

“I appreciated the call I had with Bruce the Sunday before the official announcement,” Sankey said during SEC Media Days. “Just a few weeks ago, he and I had seen each other. He kind of hinted to me that change was out there.

“I had no idea when, and he sounded so good about how the decision came to be. What’s great with Bruce is that he’s got the ability to turn the page and go on to something new. His commitment to what’s happening in Israel and support and his willingness to communicate, I think, is part of that.”

Bruce Pearl leaves a lasting legacy at Auburn. During his tenure, Pearl led the program to a 244-123 record. That included two Final Four appearances, two SEC Tournament titles and three regular-season conference championships. The Tigers’ Final Four appearances are the only two in program history.

Sankey said that he’s been around long enough to remember Steven Pearl as a player at Tennessee. Now to be a head coach in the SEC after his father — Sankey said that it’s rewarding to see people progress. Still, he’s sure that Bruce will still be an active voice in college basketball, if not poke around the Auburn facility to check on his son’s program.

“I think he’s got a lot to contribute to the game of basketball,” Sankey said of Bruce Pearl. “Certainly has a great deal to contribute still to Auburn University and that family, and it’ll be rewarding for him. It’ll be challenging for him, I expect.

“A lot of us been parents with our children in youth sports. This is a whole different dynamic. … (It’s) nothing like being a dad and your son’s the head coach in the SEC. Pretty cool for both.

Fans will get to see Steven Pearl’s squad in action beginning Nov. 3 against Bethune-Cookman. Before that, they have exhibition matchups against Oklahoma State and Memphis — the first coming on Wednesday night at home vs. the Cowboys. That game will air live on YouTube live inside the Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham, AL.