On a picturesque morning for golf, the 8:50 a.m. tee-time for the 2025 Regions Tradition Pro-am had as much star power and buzz as a final round at Augusta National.

Paired with 2009 PGA Championship winner, and Huntsville native, Stewart Cink, two of the state’s most recognizable sports figures began their morning at Greystone Golf and Country Club.

Former Alabama football head coach and ESPN analyst Nick Saban was joined by Auburn basketball legend and TNT’s Charles Barkley.

In recent weeks, each of them has sounded off on some of the biggest topics in sports, from NIL, the state of college sports, to whether transgender athletes have a place in sports.

While Saban is quickly finding his voice, and complaints on hot topics under a new type of national spotlight, Barkley remains a firebrand in both a sporting and political realm.

However, Wednesday (for a couple of hours at least), the two hall-of-famers weren’t on studio sets, with sitting presidents, or having to pontificate (too deeply) the state on the state of their sports. They were just part of a paring of five playing golf, but that doesn’t mean the hot topics came up over the course of Wednesday afternoon.

Barkley flew into Birmingham straight from working NBA on TNT covering the NBA playoffs in Atlanta, Georgia.

Following the Pro-Am, Barkley is headed back to the Turner Sports studios, but didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to golf alongside arguably, the greatest football coach in college football history.

“This will be my first time golfing with coach Saban,” Barkley said before his tee time. “It’s always an honor to be around him because he’s the greatest college football coach ever. I have a lot of admiration and respect for him. It’s going to be fun today.”

For Saban, the feelings were mutual.

“I’m looking forward to playing with Charles today,” Saban said. “I have always looked up to Charles and thought he was a great player. He does a great job professionally in terms of media.”

“I certainly respect the fact that he comes home and supports the community the way he does. It’s something I’m looking forward to today,” Saban added.

Cink, their pro for the event shot four under par through the first six holes.

Barkley and Saban had some great strokes from the tee box. However, each had trouble on the fairways and greens at times.

“This is the only game I play where the more you play the worse you get,” Saban said. “It’s unbelievable but we have fun doing it.”

Barkley kept Saban’s spirits high throughout the day saying ‘great hit coach’ every chance he got following a swing.

The basketball legend had some nice shots of his own throughout the day, even getting a round of applause after making par on the first hole.

“I’m playing great right now,” Barkley said. “I’m excited for the summer so I can play golf every day. I have about three more weeks until I’m off for the next 12 months.”

With more golf awaiting Barkley this summer, a full day on the course with Saban made for one of the greatest sports crossovers of all-time.

As two worlds collided at Greystone Golf & Country Club, the Regions Tradition celebrity Pro-Am owes the state of Alabama nothing for this legendary pairing.

Jerry Humphrey III covers Auburn sports forAL.com. You can follow him on X at @Jerryhump3or email him at [email protected].