Bruce Pearl shares strong defense of Auburn basketball’s beloved problem child

Auburn head basketball coach Bruce Pearl snapped at reporters on Wednesday who were pressing him on the conversations he’s had with Chad Baker-Mazara following his ejection during a 93-91 loss to Alabama.

“Don’t you think my conversations with him should be my conversations with him?” Pearl asked, per On3’s Justin Hokanson.

“…regardless of if it’s a retaliation…it’s unacceptable. But I”m not going to talk to you about my conversations with all my players.”

It’s unclear what Pearl is telling CBM, but there’s been no shortage of Auburn men offering guidance to the easily-provoked fan favorite.

Charles Barkley warned Baker-Mazara in a Nick Saban-like manner.

“Chad has got to be really careful with his emotions,” Barkley said, via “The Field of 68” podcast, per Auburn Undercover. “Nick Saban, the greatest coach in college football history says, ‘I want you to play with emotion. But don’t be emotional.’ I asked him about that one time and if you go back, he says especially in big games when you’re really excited, all the TV networks are there, the fans are going crazy. Because one emotional decision gets you tossed from the game or gets you a penalty. Playing with emotion and being emotional are two different things.”

Sporting News College Basketball Player of the Year Johni Broome pleaded for CBM to learn from his mistakes.

“My message to Chad is to learn from his mistakes. Want to change, want to do better for the team and for himself. We all love Chad, we still had the opportunity to win the game without Chad. Obviously he’s down on himself, as well, because he’d rather be out there with us. The message to him is to try to learn from his mistakes,” Broome said, per 247 Sports.

Whether Pearl will hold Baker-Mazara accountable for his actions is unclear. Some have called for a one-game suspension, while others have taken it further.

Either way, everyone wants him as a teammate and no one wants to face him. But those who are on his team want to see him figure out how to stay on the floor for crucial games.