A lot of coaches have come under fire as they dive into the pool of NBA G-League players and other stars that could fit the eligibility criteria drawn by the NCAA, along with the NIL rules in College Basketball. James Nnaji’s move to the Baylor Bears received widespread criticism, and the move that saw Charles Bediako returning to the Alabama Crimson Tide after receiving a TRO against the NCAA’s refusal to grant eligibility also came under the industry’s ire.

Head Coach Nate Oats came under fire for the entire Charles Bediako incident, with the Alabama Crimson Tide Head Coach putting him straight into the active roster. However, Steven Pearl, Head Coach of the Auburn Men’s College Basketball team, has pushed the blame onto the governing body, stating that the coaches are just playing within the purview of rules allowed by the NCAA.

Speaking regarding the Charles Bediako situation on SiriusXM, Steven Pearl said,” A lot of people have been very outspoken about this and very passionate about it. Our job as coaches is to play within the rules, or lack thereof, that have been set by the NCAA. What we do is try to find the gray area sometimes, and they found a gray area to get a guy who was there a couple of years ago reinstated. And if they think it’s in the best interests of their program in order to win games, then that’s what they gotta do.”

The onus of enforcing the rules lies with the governing body. However, the NCAA seems now to be at the mercy of courts as well, as evidenced in Bediako’s situation. The NCAA did not permit the Alabama Crimson Tide to field Bediako. However, Bediako challenged the matter in court and was granted the TRO by the ruling judge.

In such cases, the NCAA is rendered powerless, something former Coach Bruce Pearl highlighted as well in response to the situation surrounding Clemson Football and linebacker Luke Ferrelli’s alleged tampering by the Ole Miss Rebels.

Steven Pearl takes charge at Auburn as Keyshawn Hall leads the way

The Auburn Tigers have seen Steven Pearl take over from the iconic Bruce Pearl after he announced his retirement in September 2025. As the whole college program suffers from a cultural shift, the results have also taken a hit, with the Auburn Tigers already losing more games at this point than they did the entire regular season last year.

One major positive has been the performance of Keyshawn Hall. The 6’7 versatile star chose to withdraw from the 2025 NBA Draft to increase his draft stock for the upcoming one, and has been lighting up the court with his shooting efficiency from beyond the arc, with a conversion rate of over 40% in three-point attempts.

Hall’s height also gives him an edge in rebounding, which is an underrated trait, and also allows him to be played out on the court as a forward whenever needed. Averaging over 20 points per game for Auburn, Hall is an All-SEC candidate for the season and could emerge as an underrated option in the 2026 NBA Draft, especially if Auburn picks up some momentum from their win over the Florida Gators.

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Auburn is feeling the growing pains of a new era. The transition after Bruce Pearl hasn’t been smooth, and the results show it. However, amid the inconsistency, one thing has been clear: Keyshawn Hall.

‘Big Guard’ has been Auburn’s anchor, scoring with confidence, competing on the boards, and showing up every night when the Tigers need it most. He’s given this team an identity when it’s been searching for one. Auburn isn’t there yet. But if the Tigers are going to find their footing this season, it’ll be with Keyshawn Hall leading the way.