Auburn’s Bruce Pearl throws shade ahead of NBA Draft: ‘Chet (Holmgren’s) intriguing, but so was Shawn Bradley’

We know Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl would take Jabari Smith with the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft.

We now know he wouldn’t take Gonzaga’s 7-footer Chet Holmgren on No. 2.

Appearing on the “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” radio show on WJOX 94.5-FM in Birmingham on Wednesday, Pearl praised his players – Smith and Walker Kessler.

Pearl, who just this week talked about how Smith could add to the “Auburn Brand,” was asked who he would pick No. 2 overall.

It wouldn’t be Holmgren.

“Chet’s intriguing, but so was Shawn Bradley,” Pearl said referring to the former Philadelphia 76ers draft pick in 1993.

“The NBA stands for No Boys Allowed,” Pearl said. “And that body scares me. It just does. He goes knee-to-knee with the wrong guy, and he could get broken in half. Therefore at the very top of the draft, I think I got to go with what I know not what could potentially could maybe someday be.”

Pearl praised Duke product Paolo Banchero, who is also considered to be the potential No. 1 overall pick.

Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.

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