Bruce Pearl couldn’t resist bringing up his recruiting misses during TNT’s opening night coverage. The retired Auburn coach playfully confronted both Koa Peat and AJ Dybantsa about turning down his program, creating one of the night’s most entertaining moments. The exchange came at the perfect time for Pearl.
Arizona had just knocked off defending champion Florida 93-87 in Las Vegas, and Peat had been the star of the show.
How Did Bruce Pearl Call Out Koa Peat on Live TV?
Pearl, working the TNT broadcast for the Hall of Fame Series at T-Mobile Arena, saw his opportunity and took it. “This is coach Bruce Pearl. Do you remember a couple of years ago when I travelled to Istanbul, Turkey, trying to chase you and AJ the best may be to come to Auburn, and neither one of you even gave me a sniff. You remember that?” Pearl asked.
Peat could have tensed up. Instead, he smiled and gave Pearl the diplomatic treatment. “Yeah, for sure. I do remember that. AJ’s my guy, man. That’s my roommate USA. That’s my boy,” Peat said.
That Istanbul trip represented a serious effort from Pearl. He flew overseas to recruit both prospects while they played for Team USA, hoping to land at least one of them for Auburn. Neither gave much interest as they both had different goals. Peat’s recruitment eventually came down to Arizona State, Baylor, Houston, and Texas, with the Wildcats winning out.
What Pearl had just watched made that rejection sting even more. The 18-year-old freshman had destroyed Florida’s veteran front line with 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting. He added seven rebounds and five assists while going directly at preseason All-American Alex Condon all night.
Peat drew fouls, controlled possessions, and took over late when the Gators threatened. He threw down back-to-back dunks after Florida tied it at 70, then iced the game with two free throws in the final 15 seconds.
Pearl shifted gears and asked Peat about preparing for Florida’s size. Peat credited his Arizona teammates, saying Big Mo and Tobe guard him every day in practice. He called them some of the best forward centers in the country who don’t get the recognition they deserve, adding that they proved it together as a frontcourt against Florida.
What Did AJ Dybantsa Say About Turning Down Auburn?
Dybantsa got the same treatment later that night, though Jamal Mashburn set it up more gently. BYU had just beaten Villanova 71-66, with Dybantsa leading the way in his debut. Mashburn praised Dybantsa’s decision to attend BYU before casually mentioning that his colleague Bruce Pearl had something to say.
“I admire the decision you made to go to BYU for not only your college development, but also your future development. So much respect for you in doing that. But my colleague over here, Bruce Pearl, said you visited Auburn. Were they ever in consideration?” Mashburn asked.
Dybantsa kept it respectful but honest. “Yeah, that’s why I took the visit. They’re for sure in consideration. Great school. I actually, I loved my visit. Bruce Pearl’s a great coach, but you know, I decided to go with KY,” he said, referencing BYU coach Kevin Young as “KY”.
“I’m on social media… I see everything.”
AJ Dybantsa tells @JalenRose and the TNT crew he’s just focused on @BYUMBB 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/VQ5kyc9P7T
— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) November 4, 2025
The Auburn recruitment had looked promising at one point. Dybantsa included the Tigers in his top seven schools back in August 2024, and they hosted him for an official visit.
Pearl pushed hard, making it a priority recruitment. However, by December, Auburn had slipped out of the final group. BYU emerged as the winner over other notable schools, including Alabama, Kansas, and North Carolina.
Dybantsa’s opening night showed why everyone wanted him. He finished with 21 points and six rebounds in front of more than 16,000 fans in Las Vegas. The start was shaky, but he exploded in the second half with 13 points.
Six of those came during a critical 10-0 run that sealed the game. He attempted just one three-pointer and had some trouble at the free-throw line, but when BYU needed buckets, he delivered.
Pearl asked Dybantsa how his teammates helped him adjust to college basketball. Dybantsa pointed to the veterans like Richie and Keba, who’ve been in the college game longer. He said they kept telling him to slow down and trust the process, which he did.
Rose then brought up the elephant in the room – all the attention that comes with being the top recruit in the country. Dybantsa admitted he sees everything on social media, from rankings to draft projections. But he’s trying to stay focused on the present and take things one game at a time rather than looking ahead.
Pearl told Dan Patrick back in March that Dybantsa ranks among the highest-rated recruits he never landed. He even compared Dybantsa’s ceiling to Cooper Flagg after watching an exhibition game.
Both freshmen validated their rankings on opening night while Pearl watched from the broadcast booth, joking about the ones that got away.