Auburn announces plans to unveil Sonny Smith banner
Just days after the Auburn Tigers took down the then-No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats and claimed the program’s first ever No. 1-overall ranking, the university announced on Tuesday that it will honor a program great in Sonny Smith.
Auburn said in a press release that the Tigers will hoist a Sonny Smith banner in Auburn Arena on Jan. 29, during the pregame ceremonies prior to tip-off against Oklahoma, honoring the first head coach to ever lead Auburn to the NCAA Tournament.
“When you look at some of the coaching greats in our profession, Sonny Smith humbly stands amongst them. A combination of a great man and father to his players,” Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said in the press release. “A great coach and great teacher. He won big in a time when the SEC was pretty good. Sonny and his staff gave us some of the greatest players to ever play here at Auburn – legends. In his retirement, he has come home and really helped me rebuild this program. Through his work on the Auburn Sports Network, Sonny has described what we are trying to build and has had a great impact on our fanbase.”
Smith was hired by Auburn in 1978, and he proceeded to coach the Tigers to a decade-plus of success until 1989. He guided Auburn to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 1984, a year in which the Tigers were led by future Hall of Fame forward Charles Barkley. Smith was named the SEC Coach of the Year that season, an award he won twice in his Auburn career.
“I can’t even explain what it means to me to receive this honor,” Smith said. “This is a place where I chose to coach and I wanted to be at Auburn. After I left, I knew I was coming back. To have something like this happen it’s overwhelming for me. I am thrilled to death for my family, all the former players that played for me and staff that I coached with. Auburn is a special place and it’s a great honor. To have this type of thing happen at a place that you love this much, you can’t put into words what it means.”
Smith also led Auburn to an SEC Tournament Championship in 1985, a season that the Tigers advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. He led Auburn to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, a streak that remains the longest in Tigers’ history.
Smith, now 85 years old, finished his career at Auburn with a 173-154 overall record at the helm, and he is the only coach in Auburn program history to make it to five consecutive NCAA Tournaments. He currently serves as a color commentator for Auburn men’s basketball alongside Andy Burcham.