The Auburn Tigers men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team that represents Auburn University. The school competes in the Southeastern Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Tigers play their home games at Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama on the university campus. The program began in 1906, and is currently coached by Steven Pearl.
Auburn has won six conference regular season championships and three SEC tournament championships. Auburn has appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times, making it as far as the Final Four in 2019 and 2025. Auburn also won the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship in 2026. 14 Auburn players have been named All-Americans and Auburn has had 102 All-SEC selections. Auburn has produced 36 NBA draft picks, including Jabari Smith (2022), who was selected with the third overall pick, the highest in Auburn history. Three Auburn players have been named SEC Player of the Year: Charles Barkley in 1984, Chris Porter in 1999, and Johni Broome in 2025. Auburn has had six head coaches selected as SEC Coach of the Year a total of nine times, and Auburn head coaches Cliff Ellis and Bruce Pearl were named National Coach of the Year by multiple outlets in 1999 and 2025, respectively. Former Auburn player Charles Barkley was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Coaches Auburn has had 20 head men's basketball coaches since the program was started in 1906 by Mike Donahue. The program is currently coached by Steven Pearl.
Auburn Coaching History Tenure Coach Seasons Won Lost Tied Pct. Conf. Conf. Pct. 1905–1921 Donahue 16 74 80 1 – – 1921–1924 Hutsell 3 16 24 – – – 1924–1925 Bunker 1 3 11 – – – 1925–1928 Papke 3 38 18 – – – 1928–1929 Bohler 1 6 15 – – – 1929–1930 Lee 1 1 10 – – – 1930–1933 McAllister 3 25 18 – 4–7 1933–42, 1945–46 Jordan 10 95 77 – 61–56 1942–43, 1944–45 Evans 2 4 28 – 3–18 1946–1947 Edney 1 3 18 – 1–15 1947–1949 Doyle 2 21 25 – 12–18 1949–1963 Eaves 14 213 100 – 124–75 1963–1973 Lynn 10 130 124 – 84–88 1973–1978 Davis 5 70 61 – 42–48 1978–1989 Smith 11 173 154 – 84–114 1989–1994 Eagles 5 64 78 – 29–55 1994–2004 Ellis 10 186 125 – 73–87 2004–2010 Lebo 6 96 93 – 35–61 2010–2014 Barbee 4 49 75 – 18–50 2014–2025 B. Pearl 11 232 124 – 115–86 2021 (acting) Flanigan – 1 0 – – – 2025–present S. Pearl 1 23 16 – 7–11 Total 120 1,532 1,272 1 682–789
Notable former coaches
Mike Donahue Mike "Iron Mike" Donahue was Auburn's first head men's basketball coach, starting the program in 1906. He coached the program for 16 seasons, the longest tenure of any men's basketball coach in Auburn history, finishing with a record of 74–80–1 (.481). In addition to coaching basketball, Donahue served as athletic director and coached the football, baseball, track, and soccer teams while at Auburn.
Ralph "Shug" Jordan Prior to his tenure as Auburn's head football coach, Ralph "Shug" Jordan coached the Auburn men's basketball program for 10 seasons. Jordan was a football assistant coach when he coached the men's basketball program.
After playing football and basketball for Auburn from 1929 to 1932, Jordan became the head men's basketball coach in 1933. He coached until 1942, when he was called overseas to fight as an officer in World War II. Following his service, Jordan returned to Auburn to coach the 1945–46 team. He left Auburn to become the head men's basketball coach at Georgia after the season. Jordan finished with a record of 95–77 (.552) at Auburn.
Joel Eaves Joel Eaves was Auburn's 12th head men's basketball coach, coaching from 1949 to 1963. Eaves was a former Auburn football and basketball player, playing from 1934 to 1937 under head coach "Shug" Jordan.
Auburn won its first ever SEC championship under Eaves in 1960, finishing 12–2 in the conference and 19–3 overall. Eaves was named SEC Coach of the Year following the 1960 season. Eaves finished with a 213–100 (.681) record at Auburn.
Joel Eaves was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1978. Auburn's Memorial Coliseum was renamed after Eaves to Joel H. Eaves Memorial Coliseum in 1987, and later to Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum in 1993.
Sonny Smith
Sonny Smith was the 15th head men's basketball coach at Auburn, coaching for 11 seasons from 1978 to 1989.
Smith coached Auburn to the NCAA tournament in 5 consecutive seasons, 1984 to 1988, including a run to the Elite Eight in 1986 before losing to eventual national champion Louisville. In addition to leading Auburn to its first ever NCAA tournament in 1984, he also coached Auburn to its first SEC tournament championship in 1985. Smith was the first head men's basketball coach in Auburn history to coach three consecutive 20-win seasons, doing so from 1984 to 1986. Sonny Smith was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1988.
Smith coached his final season at Auburn in 1989, leaving to become the head men's basketball coach at VCU. Smith finished with a record of 173–154 (.529). Smith was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Cliff Ellis Cliff Ellis was the 17th head men's basketball coach at Auburn. He coached for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.
Ellis had some success early in his career, leading Auburn to the NIT three times in his first four seasons and being named SEC Coach of the Year in 1995. His most successful season at Auburn was the 1998–99 season, where he led the Tigers to an SEC regular season championship and the program's first ever #1 seed in the NCAA tournament, in which they reached the Sweet Sixteen. Ellis was named both SEC and National Coach of the Year in 1999. Ellis would take Auburn to the NCAA tournament two more times: reaching the Second Round in 2000 and returning to the Sweet Sixteen in 2003.
Ellis was released following the 2003–04 season after finishing the season with a 14–14 record. Auburn faced NCAA sanctions over alleged recruiting violations during the season, but Ellis was not found at fault after the investigation. Ellis finished with a record of 186–125 (.598) at Auburn, trailing only Eaves on the school's all-time wins list.
Bruce Pearl
Bruce Pearl became Auburn's 20th head men's basketball coach on March 18, 2014. He led Auburn to its third SEC regular season championship in the 2017–18 season and its second SEC tournament championship in 2019, en route to leading Auburn to its first ever Final Four in the 2019 NCAA tournament. Following another regular season championship in the 2021–22 season, Pearl was selected as SEC Coach of the Year. He again won the SEC tournament championship in 2024. Following winning his third SEC regular season championship in the 2025, Pearl was named SEC Coach of the Year for his second time at Auburn. He then led Auburn to its second Final Four in the 2025 NCAA tournament.
On January 7, 2025, after earning his 214th win at Auburn in an 87–82 win over Texas, Pearl surpassed Joel Eaves to become the winningest coach in Auburn basketball history.
On September 22, 2025, Pearl announced that he was retiring as a head coach and would stay at Auburn as special assistant to the athletic director. Pearl's final record at Auburn was .
Awards and honors National Coach of the Year Cliff Ellis (1999) Bruce Pearl (2025) SEC Coach of the Year Joel Eaves (1960) Bob Davis (1975) Sonny Smith (1984, 1988) Tommy Joe Eagles (1990) Cliff Ellis (1995, 1999) Bruce Pearl (2022, 2025) Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Joel Eaves (1978) Sonny Smith (2007)
Players
Retired numbers
Auburn Tigers retired numbers No.PlayerPositionCareerNo. Ret.Ref. 11 Wesley Person SG 1990–1994 2006 15 John Mengelt SG 1968–1971 2001 30 Mike Mitchell SF 1974–1978 2013 Auburn retires Mike Mitchell's No. 30 jersey before tipoff against Kentucky at Al.com, 20 Jan 2013 32 Rex Frederick F 1956–1959 2006 34 Charles Barkley PF 1981–1984 2001 45 Chuck Person SF 1982–19862006
All-Americans Jack Stewart 1931–32 College Humor Magazine Rex Fredrick 1958–59 Helms Athletic Foundation, Associated Press Henry Hart 1959–60 Helms Athletic Foundation, Associated Press Lee DeFore 1965–66 Helms Athletic Foundation John Mengelt (2) 1969–70, 1970–71 Helms Athletic Foundation, Associated Press Mike Mitchell 1977–78 Converse Yearbook Charles Barkley 1983–84 Basketball Times, National Association of Basketball Coaches Chuck Person (2) 1984–85, 1985–86 Sporting News, McGregor, Basketball Times, National Association of Basketball Coaches Wesley Person 1993–94 Associated Press, United States Basketball Writers Association Chris Porter 1998–99 Associated Press, United States Basketball Writers Association, Basketball Times, College Hoops Insider, John Wooden Award Doc Robinson 1998–99 Associated Press, College Hoops Insider Jabari Smith 2021–22 Associated Press, Sporting News, United States Basketball Writers Association, National Association of Basketball Coaches Walker Kessler 2021–22 Associated Press, United States Basketball Writers Association Johni Broome (2) 2023–24, 2024–25 Associated Press, Sporting News, United States Basketball Writers Association, National Association of Basketball Coaches Source:
National awards National Player of the Year Johni Broome (2025) - Sporting News National Freshman of the Year Jabari Smith (2022) - NABC, USBWA National Defensive Player of the Year Walker Kessler (2022) - NABC, Naismith Top at Position Johni Broome (2025) - Malone Award, NABC Big Man of the Year
Conference awards SEC Player of the Year Charles Barkley (1984) Chris Porter (1999) Johni Broome (2025) SEC Tournament MVP
Charles Barkley (1984) Chuck Person (1985) Bryce Brown (2019) Johni Broome (2024) SEC Rookie of the Year Chris Porter (1999) Jabari Smith (2022) SEC Defensive Player of the Year Walker Kessler (2022)
Other honors Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Charles Barkley (2006) National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Charles Barkley (2006) Alabama Sports Hall of Fame John Mengelt (1995) Charles Barkley (2001) Rex Frederick (2003) Chuck Person (2005) USBWA Most Courageous Award Wes Flanigan (1997)
Auburn in the NBA
NBA Draft picks Auburn has produced 36 NBA draft picks, including 10 first round picks. The most players selected from Auburn in a single draft was 3 in the 1988 draft. Jabari Smith holds the record for the highest draft pick from Auburn, selected 3rd overall in the 2022 draft. 19601282Henry HartNew York Knicks1963434Layton JohnsLos Angeles Lakers1965321Joe NewtonBaltimore Bullets1966431Lee DeForeNew York Knicks1971221John MengeltCincinnati Royals19728120Henry HarrisHouston Rockets1973346Jim RetseckGolden State Warriors1976573Gary ReddingPortland Trail Blazers1977349Eddie JohnsonAtlanta Hawks1978115Mike MitchellCleveland Cavaliers7133Stan PietkiewiczSan Diego Clippers19797143Rich ValaviciusHouston Rockets19808170Rich ValaviciusWashington Bullets19816122Earl BanksSeattle SuperSonics8165Bobby CattageUtah Jazz1983235Darrell LockhartSan Antonio Spurs10211Odell MostellerUtah Jazz198415Charles BarkleyPhiladelphia 76ers9193Greg TurnerKansas City Kings198614Chuck PersonIndiana Pacers19876138Frank FordLos Angeles Lakers7158Gerald WhiteDallas Mavericks198814Chris MorrisNew Jersey Nets358Jeff MooreCharlotte Hornets63Mike JonesMilwaukee Bucks1994123Wesley PersonPhoenix Suns2000126Mamadou N'DiayeDenver Nuggets255Chris PorterGolden State Warriors2001240Jamison BrewerIndiana Pacers2019116Chuma OkekeOrlando Magic202015Isaac OkoroCleveland Cavaliers2021237JT ThorDetroit Pistons48Sharife CooperAtlanta Hawks202213Jabari SmithHouston Rockets22Walker KesslerMemphis Grizzlies2025235Johni BroomePhiladelphia 76ers Auburn has had 5 players that transferred to another school before being selected in the NBA draft. 1979349Cedrick HordgesSouth CarolinaChicago Bulls1992224Matt GeigerGeorgia TechMiami Heat1996233Moochie NorrisWest FloridaMilwaukee Bucks2009129Toney DouglasFlorida StateLos Angeles Lakers202119Davion MitchellBaylorSacramento Kings