The college basketball world was in shock when Bruce Pearl announced that he was stepping down as Auburn's head coach. After 11 years with the team, he will now move into an ambassador's role in the athletic department as a special assistant to the athletics director.

Many have been confused about why Pearl would announce his retirement with the season coming up, and in a recent interview, he explained why it came at this time.

“…As I got into it this fall, I just realized that I wasn’t 100%. I wasn’t relentless. I was a little tired, and I didn’t know I was going to feel that way. Is it because the season lasts so much longer now than it used to? Probably,” Pearl said via War Eagle Plus.

Pearl was the winningest coach in Auburn men's basketball history with 232 wins, while leading them to two Final Fours in 2019 and 2025, and six NCAA Tournament appearances. What Pearl did for the program will not be forgotten, and though some think that Pearl will just disappear, that's not the case for him.

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“I ain’t dead and I ain’t going anywhere. It was the right time. I wanted to go out on top. I wanted to go out versus being asked to leave. I’m looking forward to helping Auburn be great,” Pearl said.

With Pearl stepping down, Auburn named Steven Pearl the new head coach of the program. He's been on the staff since the 2014 season with his father, and there are high hopes for him to lead the team to success. Bruce made a big prediction for his son as he steps in to fill his shoes.

“Here's my prediction. Ready? Steven Pearl is going to be the second-best coach in the history of Auburn basketball. No offense to Sonny, no offense to Cliff, no offense to anybody else. If he does that, he'll have done a hell of a job,” Bruce said.