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Tahaad Pettiford plans to return to Auburn

IMG_6598by: Nick Kosko04/11/26nickkosko59

Tahaad Pettiford plans to return to Auburn for his junior season, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Jeff Borzello. Pettiford had quite the sophomore season when he averaged 15.4 points per game for the Tigers. On3’s Joe Tipton confirmed the news.

“NEWS: Tahaad Pettiford plans to return to Auburn for his junior season, sources tell me and Jeff Borzello,” Thamel wrote on Twitter/X. “Pettiford averaged 15.4 points per game as a sophomore and projects to be one of the top guards in the sport next year.

“Pettiford’s goal in returning is have Auburn re-emerge as a Final Four contender. He played a key role Auburn’s 2025 Final Four team and NIT title team this year.”

Auburn is coming off an NIT title this past season under first-year head coach Steven Pearl. But as Thamel pointed out, the star guard could be key into getting the Tigers back to the NCAA Tournament and making a deep run in 2027.

“If you look at our résumé, if you compare us to the rest of the teams on the bubble, which I’m happy to go over all these notes with you, we deserve to be in the tournament,” Pearl said prior to the postseason. “I’ll just go on a rant then.”

Well, Pettiford and Auburn certainly made people think twice. Auburn won five games in a row to win the tournament, which included a 92-86 overtime win over Tulsa in the championship.

As a member of the Class of 2024, Pettiford was a four-star recruit out of Jersey City (N.J.) Hudson Catholic, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He was the No. 3 overall prospect in the state, the No. 4 point guard in the class and the No. 31 overall prospect in the class.

“I’m a short guard who can get to the rim and finish above the rim,” Pettiford told On3’s Jamie Shaw as a recruit. “I like to get up the floor and go. I can get a stop when my team needs one, and I like to get my teammates involved. I’ve recently started watching a lot of De’Aaron Fox. I just love the way he knows how to create space and use his body. It creates space for an open shot, and also, you know if they overplay him, he knows how to just one move get by them.”