AUBURN

See coach Sonny Smith's banner ceremony before Auburn vs. Oklahoma men's basketball game

Erik Hall
Montgomery Advertiser

Auburn raised a banner to the rafters of Auburn Arena to honor former head coach Sonny Smith ahead of the 2022 Big 12/SEC Challenge game against the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, Jan. 29.

Smith coached Auburn men's basketball from 1978-89, and he took the team to the NCAA Tournament five consecutive seasons from 1984-88. His 1984-85 team won the SEC Tournament and reached the Sweet 16, and his 1985-86 team reached the Elite Eight.

Since 2012, Smith has been an Auburn men's basketball radio announcer.

Auburn men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl announced on Jan. 22 that Smith would be honored with the banner in Auburn Arena. 

Sonny Smith banner ceremony in Auburn Arena

"I coached all over the world," Smith said. "I only coached one place in my life that I wanted it to be my home. I was ready for the next job until we found Auburn. And Auburn will always be our home. And for you people, folks, friends, to accept Jan and I the way you have, I will never forget that. And to be friends and to watch the program grow through the coaches they have right now, it's a great time to be an Auburn Tiger."

Jan Smith is Sonny's wife.

Charles Barkley, who played for Smith at Auburn from 1981-84, did a video about Smith's importance to him. 

"Hey man, I love you," Barkley said in the video. "You've been a father figure for me since 1981. You've been a great coach to me my entire life. ... Coach, I'm so glad they're putting your name up in the rafters."

Auburn, ranked No. 2 in the Ferris Mowers Men's Basketball Coaches Poll powered by USA Today Sports, comes into the matchup 19-1 overall. Most recently, Auburn defeated Missouri 55-54 on Tuesday. 

The OU Sooners enter the game 13-7 overall. On Wednesday, Oklahoma beat West Virginia 72-62. 

Here's more Auburn, OU Sooners men's basketball news:

Former coach Sonny Smith is honored before Auburn Tigers take on Oklahoma Sooners at Auburn Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022.

Entering Saturday, Auburn leads the all-time series 2-1 vs. Oklahoma.

Erik Hall is the lead digital producer for sports with the USA Today Network. You can find him on Twitter @HallErik.