The Auburn basketball program is one of four teams left in the men’s NCAA Tournament. Auburn’s famed alum Charles Barkley is thinking about his own career, as he watches his team vie for a national championship.
Barkley says this year’s Tigers squad should not take any moment for granted.
Charles Barkley on Auburn’s Final Four run: “Hey, now you here, you got an opportunity to cement your legacy for the rest of your life.”
Barkley reflects on his message to Auburn’s 2019 Final Four team and why the 2025 squad can’t take any moment for granted. @TheFieldOf68 pic.twitter.com/Duli7lYzzq
— Vince Wolfram (@vincewolfram15) April 1, 2025
“There’s very few times you’re capable of winning a championship,” Barkley said in an interview with Field of 68. “Very seldom do all the stars align together. When I was good at Auburn, the team sucked.”
Barkley is very appreciative though of the Auburn program. He says he was able to play there as a freshman, which was big for him. He didn’t however get to win a title.
“Now you’re here, you have an opportunity to cement your legacy for the rest of your life,” Barkley added, sending a message to this year’s Tigers squad.
Barkley of course went on to a long NBA career after his college days. He played for the Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers, before retiring from basketball in 2000.
Auburn plays Florida in the Final Four on Saturday.
Auburn basketball is a national power under Bruce Pearl
Auburn basketball has seen a resurgence since Bruce Pearl took over as coach. Pearl had success at Tennessee and Milwaukee, before coming to Auburn in 2014.
It took some time for Pearl to build the program. He didn’t make the NCAA tournament until his fourth year at the school.
Pearl is now in his second Final Four at Auburn. It is also the second time in his career he has gone to a Final Four. Pearl’s last time in the semi-final was in 2019. He hopes that his squad can have a little bit more luck this time around.
Auburn entered this year’s NCAA Tournament as the overall no. 1 seed. That was a surprise to some, as Auburn had struggled down the stretch of the season. The Tigers didn’t win the SEC conference tournament, as that honor went to Florida.
Florida is now the team standing in Auburn’s way. It will be an SEC matchup that many Auburn fans are excited to see. The Tigers already defeated Alabama State, Creighton, Michigan and Michigan State to enter this round.
The winner of the Auburn-Florida game will play either Houston or Duke for a national championship. It is the first time since 2008 that only no. 1 seeds sit in the Final Four.
Charles Barkley will definitely be watching and cheering for his Auburn team as they continue their March Madness journey.
The post Charles Barkley reflects on Auburn career ahead of Final Four appeared first on ClutchPoints.
