Bruce Pearl's sudden retirement as the Auburn Tigers' head basketball coach on Monday stunned the sports world. Steven, Bruce's 38-year-old son, will be taking over on the Plains after serving as the team's defensive coordinator for the last several years.
While some Tiger fans still don't know what to make of it all, opposing teams are already working to take advantage of the 30-day window Auburn's roster has to hit the transfer portal. AU built their current roster through a few strategic recruiting grabs but mostly transfers. They're vulnerable, to say the least.
Duke Blue Devils basketball coach Jon Scheyer could be waiting like a buzzard ready to pick the Tigers' bones. Ball Durham's Hugh Straine feels he should pursue Auburn's best returning player, Tahaad Pettiford.
The reasoning Straine provided was a slap in the face to Steven.
"Despite playing just 22 minutes a night, he was one of the most productive guys on a team that earned a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament and made the Final Four. He's one of the most popular breakout candidates for this coming season, and deserves to play at the highest level," Straine wrote.
The highest level? Like the Final Four? AU and Duke both lost in the penultimate round of the NCAA Tournament last year. The idea that Bruce's departure makes the team lesser is a misnomer, considering how involved Steven has been for a while now.
Steven doesn't have the big and bold personality that Bruce does. For the record, neither does Scheyer. Steven is an X's and O's ace. He's been the brains behind the brilliant defense the Tigers have played, helping develop Dylan Cardwell, Chad Baker-Mazara, Chaney Johnson, and Denver Jones into good-to-great defenders.
Steven may not see immediate success, considering there may be portal losses over the next month, and making a major coaching change less than two months before a season tips off doesn't usually produce the best results.
But sooner rather than later, Auburn hoops will be the "highest level."