Just over three weeks ago, Bruce Pearl surprised the college basketball world by announcing his retirement, ending what was set to be his 12th season at Auburn. His departure left many wondering whether he was stepping away from the sport entirely but that won’t be the case.
According to a Thursday morning report from Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, Pearl is set to transition from the sidelines to the studio. The longtime coach will join TNT Sports as part of its college basketball coverage for the upcoming season.
Pearl will appear alongside a star-studded group that includes Adam Lefkoe, Jalen Rose, Jamal Mashburn, and Chris Webber, as TNT expands its presence in college hoops. The move ensures that Pearl’s trademark energy and basketball insight will remain a fixture for fans, now from behind the analyst’s desk rather than on the court.
“NEWS: Bruce Pearl is headed to TNT Sports, joining Jalen Rose, Jamal Mashburn and, occasionally, Chris Webber on a new college hoops studio show,” Marchand reported.
This latest opportunity marks another broadcasting role for Bruce Pearl, who previously spent two seasons as an analyst with ESPN between his head coaching tenures at Tennessee and Auburn. His familiarity with media work should make for a smooth transition back to television.
Pearl officially announced his retirement from coaching on September 22nd, ending a decorated run that included multiple deep tournament runs and an SEC title with Auburn. His decision didn’t come as a total surprise, as rumors of his potential exit had circulated for months, fueled partly by his growing interest in off-court endeavors including political involvement and community engagement.
Rather than fully stepping away from the program, Pearl will remain connected to Auburn as a program ambassador, continuing to represent the school while passing the torch to his son, Steven Pearl, who will take over as head coach beginning with the 2025–26 season.
With his retirement, Bruce Pearl closed the book on a 21-year head coaching career that spanned Milwaukee, Tennessee, and Auburn, compiling an impressive 477–224 (.680) record. Over that stretch, he captured 10 conference championships across the Horizon League and SEC, and guided his teams to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances.
Pearl’s greatest achievements came at Auburn, where he became the program’s all-time winningest coach with a 246–125 (.663) record. Under his leadership, the Tigers rose from mediocrity to national prominence, claiming five conference titles and making five trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Two of those runs were historic Auburn’s only two Final Four appearances in school history, coming in 2019 and again in 2025, cementing Pearl’s legacy as the architect of the program’s modern goldenera.
No. 20 Auburn opened a new era under Steven Pearl on Wednesday night with an exhibition matchup against Oklahoma State in Birmingham. The Tigers came up just short, falling 97-95 in overtime at Boutwell Auditorium. They’ll return to the court in two weeks for another preseason test against Memphis in Atlanta.
As for Bruce Pearl, many wondered what his next chapter would look like following his retirement especially with politics appearing to be on hold for now.
It seems the longtime coach has chosen a return to broadcasting, reentering the media world as his next step after more than two decades on the sidelines.
Bruce Pearl closed the book on a 21-year head coaching career that spanned stops at Milwaukee, Tennessee, and Auburn, amassing an impressive 477-224 (.680) record. During that span, he collected 10 conference championships across the Horizon League and SEC, while guiding his teams to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances.
His time at Auburn stands out as the highlight of his coaching legacy. Pearl transformed the Tigers into a national power, compiling a 246-125 (.663) record and becoming the winningest coach in program history. Under his leadership, Auburn captured five conference titles and earned five NCAA Tournament berths.
The pinnacle of Pearl’s tenure came with two historic Final Four runs first in 2019, when Auburn made its debut on college basketball’s biggest stage, and again in 2025, cementing his place as one of the most successful coaches in the program’s history and one of the most influential figures in modern SEC basketball.
The No. 20 Auburn Tigers officially ushered in the Steven Pearl era with their first exhibition game on Wednesday night, taking on Oklahoma State in Birmingham. Despite a strong showing, the Tigers narrowly fell 97-95 in overtime at Boutwell Auditorium. Auburn will return to action in two weeks for another preseason test against Memphis in Atlanta.
As Auburn transitions to new leadership on the bench, questions had lingered about Bruce Pearl’s next move following his recent retirement. Many speculated that he might pursue opportunities in politics, given his vocal presence off the court in recent years.
However, with that path seemingly on hold, Pearl’s next chapter appears to bring him back into the media spotlight. The longtime coach is set to take on a new role in broadcasting, marking a return to familiar territory after previously working as a television analyst during his break between coaching stops at Tennessee and Auburn.
