Kristian Ferrell
Auburn University's basketball team, the Auburn Tigers, has a rich history in the sport. The team has appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times, making it as far as the Final Four in 2019 and 2025. The Tigers have won six conference regular season championships and three SEC tournament championships. However, they have never won the National Championship. In addition to their success on the court, Auburn has produced 35 NBA draft picks, including 10 first-round selections, and several notable players such as Charles Barkley and Chris Porter. With a long history and a dedicated fan base, the Auburn Tigers are a well-known and recognised college basketball programme.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of conference regular season championships | 6 |
| Number of SEC tournament championships | 3 |
| Number of NCAA tournament appearances | 14 |
| Number of Final Four appearances | 2 |
| Number of NBA draft picks | 35 |
| Number of first-round NBA draft picks | 10 |
| Highest NBA draft pick | 3rd overall (Jabari Smith, 2022) |
| Number of SEC Coach of the Year awards | 4 |
| Number of SEC Player of the Year awards | 3 |
| Number of national championships | 0 |
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What You'll Learn
Auburn Tigers men's basketball history
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball team has had an on-and-off successful history since its program began in 1906. The team has appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times, making it as far as the Final Four in 2019 and 2025, but has never won the National Championship.
Auburn has produced 35 NBA draft picks, including 10 first-round picks, and three players have been named SEC Player of the Year: Charles Barkley in 1984, Chris Porter in 1999, and Johni Broome in 2025. Barkley is the team's best-known alumnus, with other NBA players including Chuck Person, Wesley Person, Marquis Daniels, Moochie Norris, and Pat Burke.
Auburn has won six conference regular-season championships and three SEC tournament championships. The Tigers play their home games at Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama, on the university campus.
Auburn and Alabama have a fierce rivalry that dates back to 1924, when they first met in the Southern Conference Tournament, with Auburn losing 19-40. The two teams did not meet again until 1941, and Auburn's first win in the rivalry came in 1949. Alabama leads the all-time series 103-69.
Auburn won its first-ever SEC championship in 1960 under coach Joel Eaves, who was a former Auburn football and basketball player. Eaves finished with a 213-100 record at Auburn and was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1978. Sonny Smith was the head coach from 1978 to 1989, leading Auburn to the NCAA tournament in five consecutive seasons, including a run to the Elite Eight in 1986. Cliff Ellis was the head coach from 1994 to 2004, leading the Tigers to an SEC regular-season championship and the program's first-ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
The current coach, Bruce Pearl, became the winningest coach in Auburn basketball history in 2025, surpassing Eaves with his 214th win. Pearl has led Auburn to the NCAA tournament six times, including two Final Four appearances.
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Auburn's NCAA Tournament history
Auburn Tigers men's basketball team has had varied success over the years. The team has reached the NCAA Tournament 14 times, making it as far as the Final Four in 2019 and 2025.
Auburn first appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 1984, and in the 1985-86 season, they reached the Elite Eight. They beat No.9 Arizona, No.1 St. John's, and No.4 UNLV before falling to the eventual national champion, Louisville. In 1988, they lost to the eventual national champion Indiana in the second round.
Auburn has won six conference regular-season championships and three SEC tournament championships. They have produced 35 NBA draft picks, including 10 first-round picks. The most players selected from Auburn in a single draft was three in 1988.
Auburn has a fierce rivalry with Alabama, dating back to 1924. They first met in the Southern Conference Tournament, with Auburn losing 19-40. They have played regularly since 1948, meeting at least twice every season from 1949 onwards. Auburn's first win came in their sixth meeting in December 1949, when they beat Alabama 45-40. Alabama leads the series 103-69.
Auburn has also enjoyed success in other sports, including swimming and diving, with five consecutive NCAA men's championships from 2003-2007 and women's championships in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2007. They have also won national championships in golf, with the men's team winning in 1995 and 2024, and the women's team consistently performing well in recent years.
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Auburn's SEC Tournament championships
Auburn University's basketball team, the Auburn Tigers, has had success in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) over the years, winning six conference regular season championships and three SEC tournament championships.
The Tigers first won the SEC championship in 1960 under head coach Joel Eaves, finishing 12-2 in the conference and 19-3 overall. Eaves was named SEC Coach of the Year for his achievements. Auburn's next SEC championship came in 1985, when they beat Alabama 53-49 in overtime to claim the title. This was the first time Auburn had won the SEC tournament championship and the first time they had beaten Alabama in the tournament, having lost their previous matchup in 1941.
Sonny Smith, the head coach at the time, led Auburn to its first-ever NCAA Tournament in 1984 and coached the team to three consecutive 20-win seasons from 1984 to 1986. Smith was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1988. Auburn reached the Elite Eight in 1986, losing to the eventual national champion, Louisville.
The Tigers claimed their third SEC tournament championship in 2025, when they beat Michigan State 70-64 in the Elite Eight to advance to the Final Four for the second time in program history. This was also the second time that head coach Bruce Pearl had led Auburn to the Final Four, with the first being in 2019. Pearl surpassed Joel Eaves in 2025 to become the winningest coach in Auburn basketball history.
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Auburn's most notable coaches
Auburn University's men's basketball team, Auburn Tigers, has had 20 coaches in its 113-season history. Here is a detailed overview of some of Auburn's most notable basketball coaches:
Bruce Pearl
Bruce Alan Pearl is the current head coach of the Auburn Tigers men's basketball team. He was named Auburn's head basketball coach on March 18, 2014, becoming the university's 20th basketball coach. Pearl is Auburn's most successful basketball coach, becoming the winningest coach in the university's history. He led the Tigers to their first-ever number-one ranking in the AP Poll, three SEC regular-season championships, and two Final Four appearances in the NCAA tournament. Pearl also led Auburn to its second SEC tournament championship in 2019.
Sonny Smith
Sonny Smith was the 15th head coach of the Auburn Tigers men's basketball team, coaching for 11 seasons from 1978 to 1989. He led Auburn to its first-ever NCAA tournament in 1984 and its first SEC tournament championship in 1985. Smith was the first head coach in Auburn history to coach three consecutive 20-win seasons, achieving this feat from 1984 to 1986. He was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1988.
Joel Eaves
Joel Eaves was Auburn's 12th head men's basketball coach, coaching from 1949 to 1963. He was a former Auburn basketball and football player, playing from 1934 to 1937. Under Eaves, Auburn won its first-ever SEC championship in 1960, finishing 12-2 in the conference and 19-3 overall. Eaves was named SEC Coach of the Year following the 1960 season. Auburn's Memorial Coliseum was renamed after him in 1987.
Cliff Ellis
Cliff Ellis was the 17th head coach of the Auburn Tigers men's basketball team, coaching for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004. He led Auburn to the NIT three times in his first four seasons and was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1995. His most successful season was 1998-1999, where he led the Tigers to an SEC regular-season championship and the program's first-ever number-one seed in the NCAA tournament.
Auburn's basketball program has also produced notable NBA players such as Charles Barkley, Chuck Person, Wesley Person, Chris Porter, Marquis Daniels, Moochie Norris, and Pat Burke.
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Auburn's NBA draft picks
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball team has had 35 players selected in the NBA draft, including 10 first-round picks. The Auburn Tigers program began in 1906, and the team currently plays its home games at Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama.
Auburn's most recent NBA draft pick is Walker Kessler, who was selected 22nd overall by the Utah Jazz in 2022. Kessler averaged 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game in his rookie season, earning him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Other notable Auburn players who have been drafted in recent years include Jabari Smith (selected 3rd overall by the Houston Rockets in 2022), Isaac Okoro (Cleveland Cavaliers), Chuma Okeke (Orlando Magic), and JT Thor (Charlotte Hornets).
Auburn's first NBA draft pick was in 1988, when three players from the university were selected. The university has had a first-round pick or a draft pick every year in the past five years.
Some of Auburn's other notable NBA players include its best-known alumnus, Charles Barkley, as well as Chuck Person, Wesley Person, Chris Porter, Marquis Daniels, Moochie Norris, and Pat Burke. Three Auburn players have been named SEC Player of the Year: Charles Barkley in 1984, Chris Porter in 1999, and Johni Broome in 2025.
In addition to its 35 NBA draft picks, Auburn has also produced several undrafted free agents who went on to have NBA careers.
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Frequently asked questions
Auburn has never won the NCAA National Championship. They have, however, won six conference regular season championships and three SEC tournament championships.
Auburn has reached the NCAA Tournament 14 times, making it as far as the Final Four in 2019 and 2025.
Three Auburn players have been named SEC Player of the Year: Charles Barkley in 1984, Chris Porter in 1999, and Johni Broome in 2025.
