BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – To say that Auburn basketball will have an almost entirely new look when the 2025-26 season begins would be a bit of an understatement.

Auburn will be under the leadership of a new head coach in Steven Pearl, although the coaching staff has remained intact, and only one member of last season's roster, Tahaad Pettiford, is back with the team this year.

Despite the changes, Pearl is pleased with the way the team has already started to come together, as well as the way it has handled the competition.

"I've been impressed to watch their bond and unity as a unit," Pearl said at SEC Media Days. "They knew coming in there was going to be somebody at every position they had to compete with.  That's what they signed up for, play against really good competition and players not only to help the team win but to help them grow as an individual."

The change in head coach provided the Tigers with an early chance to fight through adversity, something that will be beneficial as the season gets underway.

With a challenging nonconference schedule to take on, already having dealt with finding a way to overcome challenges could be a difference-maker.

"One of the unique things about what happened in September, we had to go through some adversity way sooner than 99% of college basketball teams had to this year," Pearl said. "A lot of teams won't experience any adversity until November or December based on their schedule, say when they play Houston, get punched in the mouth in the first five possessions."

While Auburn has many new faces on the roster, Pearl believes they have had time to work out the kinks over the summer and get comfortable playing with one another.

The process of putting this roster together was an extensive one, but Pearl is confident in its ability to get the job done as a unit and help make his transition into the head coaching role as smooth as possible.

"From the Sweet 16 weekend all the way up till June 1st, we were recruiting this roster," Pearl said. "We get done recruiting the roster around May 28 when Filip Jovic commits to us. They were together from June 1 till August."

Pearl and the Tigers will take on Oklahoma State in an exhibition in Birmingham's Boutwell Auditorium on Wednesday night. They will have an exhibition against Memphis at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Thursday, Oct. 30, before officially opening the season against Bethune-Cookman on Monday, Nov. 3.