Bruce Pearl

Bruce Pearl is an accomplished American college basketball coach, having led multiple high-profile teams to conference championship and NCAA tournament appearances. He also served as the head coach for the Maccabi USA men’s basketball team that won the gold medal at the 2009 Maccabiah Games.

He began his coaching career at Southern Indiana, where he won a Division II national championship and was named Division II Coach of the Year. He then moved on to coach at Milwaukee and Tennessee before becoming the head coach of the Auburn Tigers in 2014. Despite facing some adversity, including an NCAA show-cause order and an FBI investigation into his program, Pearl has been successful at Auburn, leading the team to its best record in years and taking them to their first ever Final Four in 2019. Pearl’s coaching style is known for being high-energy and passionate, and he has a reputation for developing strong relationships with his players. He is also known for his unique fashion sense, often sporting a brightly colored orange jacket in honor of former UT coach Ray Mears. Pearl’s success on the court has earned him numerous accolades, including Coach of the Year honors from Sporting News and the Adolph Rupp Cup.

Off the court, Pearl is the first president of the Jewish Coaches Association and has been actively involved in the community throughout his career. With his impressive coaching record and dedication to his players and community, Pearl has become one of the most respected and admired coaches in college basketball.