Charles Barkley was back on the Plains Monday for the 11th annual Bruce, Barkley & Basketball Golf Classic presented by YellaWood at Grand National in Opelika, a month before starting what he says will be his final season on “Inside the NBA.”
“TV has been great to me. I’m going to take a step back from public life,” Barkley said. “I’m going to always come to Auburn, though. I want to make that perfectly clear.” Barkley led Auburn to its first NCAA Tournament in 1984 as SEC Player of the Year and went on to be the 1992-93 NBA MVP.
Barkley praised Auburn coach Steven Pearl’s first season, which ended with a 22-16 record and an NIT championship. “He had 10 new players, and he almost made the tournament,” Barkley said. “They want to make the Big Dance. That would be a great accomplishment.” Steven Pearl called Barkley the best ambassador Auburn has; former coach Bruce Pearl said his son still coaches “with a chip” on his shoulder.
Auburn returns starting guards Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton. The Tigers play October exhibitions in Birmingham against Florida State and Alabama and open the regular season Nov. 4 against Southeastern Louisiana at Neville Arena.
Source: Auburn Athletics
Opelika Daily News — Tuesday Report, Sept. 29, 2026 | Compiled by Viktor AI for Opelika Daily News
