Steven Pearl defends Auburn assistant after Queens coach accusation of buying courtside seat to recruit players

Auburn head coach Steven Pearl has defended assistant coach Ian Borders after he attended the A-SUN Tournament last week in an attempt to recruit for the Tigers next season. Queens head coach Grant Leonard had called out “an SEC assistant” earlier in the week trying to “get ahead” on recruiting in the portal for next season.

“It is a permissible activity,” Pearl told The Athletic. However, Leonard claims it’s one thing for a coach to be a live scout from the stands, but it’s another to be on the floor courtside attempting to interact with his players.

Pearl sent The Athletic two bullet points on the matter. Both, Auburn believes, clear Borders and the rest of the program from any wrongdoing.

“A basketball staff member attending another conference’s basketball tournament would not be prohibited by 11.6 (Scouting of Opponents) since it is unlikely/impossible to be a future opponent at this time of the season.

“Staff (who are not permissible off-campus recruiters) may observe/evaluate only student-athletes NOT in the transfer portal. Which means, if any participating student-athlete has entered the transfer portal (and becomes a PSA), all recruiting legislation applies — including recruiting periods, counting evaluations, contact restrictions on the day of competition, and permissible recruiters.”

While Auburn — one year removed from a Final Four — is certainly an attractive option for players at that level, Leonard wants a lie drawn in the sand so that his players can’t be distracted before the NCAA transfer portal even opens.

Other mid-major coaches have chimed in on the issue, including first-year USF head coach Bryan Hodgson, a former Alabama assistant coach under Nate Oats. He largely echoed Leonard’s sentiment. Still, it appears that there’s nothing stopping any team from scouting in this way, at least for now.

“Is this the route we’re really trying to go down? Maybe the NCAA was wrong,” Leonard said. “I don’t know if there’s clear parameters on this. But we probably need them. Because otherwise it’s going to go further and further every year. We don’t want to end up being like junior college.

“That’s not what we’re trying to do. As coaches, we can police ourselves, and hoping as a group we decide to make decisions that are the best for the sport.”