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Bruce Pearl has been the coach of the Auburn basketball team since 2014. And over the years, he has built a reputation for himself with the Tigers. On Sunday, Pearl led the 12th-ranked Tigers to an SEC Tournament championship by defeating the Florida Gators 86-67.
As Pearl gears up for the NCAA Tournament, some fans may be wondering about his ethnicity and heritage. In this article, we will be answering the questions surrounding the Auburn coach's background and family.
What is Bruce Pearl's ethnicity?
Bruce Pearl was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 16, 1960. His father, Bernie, and mother, Barbara, are Jewish.
Pearl confirmed his Jewish heritage during a 2015 interview with the War Eagle Leader. When questioned about his stance on the tension between Iran and Israel, Pearl said that being an American Jew, the situation spoke to him and he wanted world peace to prevail.
According to an NJ.com article, the Auburn coach spends 10 minutes praying every day and he and his team visited Israel in 2022 when they played three games, including facing the country's U-20 national team.
Pearl said in a statement that he was grateful for the opportunity to play in Israel:
"Auburn is going to allow us to take my kids to Israel and experience something that could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing for them. I'm just so grateful."
Bruce Pearl's family
The Auburn coach married his second wife, Brandy Rena Samuel, in 2009. He divorced his first wife, Kim Shrigley, in 2007 after 25 years of marriage.
Pearl also has four children: daughters Leah and Jacqui and sons Steven and Michael. Steven, who was born on Sept. 14, 1987, serves alongside his father as the associate head coach of Auburn. Together, they are continuing to build the legacy of the program.
After clinching the SEC Tournament championship, it will be interesting to see if Bruce and his son, Steven, can lead the program to a national championship.
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