Before Auburn even steps onto the court, the players start their day with something more important than game prep: breakfast and Bible study.
According to senior center Dylan Cardwell, the Tigers hold mandatory 9 a.m. team breakfasts that include time in Scripture together. It’s become a rhythm that’s shaped more than just their mornings—it’s shaped the team’s entire culture.
“We really bought in,” Cardwell said.
For senior forward Chaney Johnson, the Bible studies have been essential in growing closer to God.
“As young men, it’s always preached to hide your emotions and keep everything inside,” Johnson said, “but with the Bible studies, we’re learning about God as well as how to be a better Christian as well as being able to sharpen each other through stories and the experiences we’re going through. We better ourselves through the Word and with God.”
Head coach Bruce Pearl says that kind of spiritual formation isn’t just a tradition—it’s the foundation of the team’s identity.
“This is a team of faith,” Pearl said following Auburn’s Elite Eight win over the weekend. “We work really hard at trying to bring in those kind of people—guys that are going to make sacrifices. You want to be in a great team, you got to make sacrifices. You got to share. You got to hold each other accountable. And I think that’s also a big part of what this locker room is all about.”
The team’s players have shared throughout the season their faith has strengthened their bond on and off the court. From Bible studies to mission trips and more, the team has taken personal steps to grow their faith—a decision supported by the coaching staff.
“Everybody on this team is revolved around God and having a relationship with God,” guard Miles Kelly said.
Jeremy Napier, the team’s second-year chaplain, is a big factor in the team’s newfound faith.
“I don’t think I can put it into words how big of an impact he’s had on this team,” Johnson said of Napier. “He’s bringing a lot of guys to Christ in a very ethical manner, slowly but surely. A lot of the players on this team believe in Christ, but Jeremy pushes us to believe a little bit harder.
“He’s honestly made my love for Christ a lot stronger,” he continued. “I was always a strong believer, but to be able to have him pour into me from his stories and his life experiences, it really helped me build my strength for the love of God.”
Pearl, who is Jewish, has encouraged a space for spiritual growth to occur. As he shared in a recent post-game press conference, his relationship with God is something he’s come to value more over time.
“As I’ve gotten older and grown and matured, I think it’s really difficult to navigate the world without having a relationship with the Lord,” he said. “And that’s why I want to speak about it and encourage players and help them find out a way to nurture it and navigate through life.”
The team’s faith has even become visible during games. Players often point upward after draining a three-pointer—a moment Pearl says is much more than a celebration.
“You see, every time that they make a three ball, they’re calling God. That’s what they’re doing,” he said. “I’m getting emails and I’m getting voicemail messages from parents of 8-year-old girls going, ‘My daughter banged her first three and she called God,’ and the parents were so excited about it.”
Those gestures, Pearl says, create space for deeper conversations about integrity and character.
“Now what that also does, it gives me an opportunity as a teacher to say, ‘OK, listen, if we’re going to call God and we’re going to do that, then we can’t act this way or that way.’”
