Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers saw their season end in the Final Four with a 78–73 loss to Walter Clayton Jr. and the Florida Gators. With the defeat, All-American forward Johni Broome’s college career comes to a close after three seasons with Auburn. Pearl may also be facing the potential departure of freshman guard. After an impressive NCAA Tournament performance—averaging 15.2 points and 3.6 assists—Pettiford has declared for the 2025 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility.
Tahaad Pettiford has made it clear that if he returns to school, it will be to Auburn. “If I return, it will be to Auburn,” he said. “I can’t leave this type of situation. I trust BP with all my heart, so I will roll with him. Loyalty is important to me.” Just hours after the announcement, Pearl shared his support for the young guard on social media, calling Pettiford a “first round” talent. “You go show ‘em, Tahaad,” Pearl posted on X. “I wouldn’t hesitate drafting you in the first round right now! If they don’t, you come back and we run it back!”
Following his strong tournament play, Pettiford has risen on some NBA draft boards. While some analysts project him as a first-round pick, others still leave him out of their mock drafts entirely. If he chooses to return to Auburn, Pettiford could find himself stepping into a starting role. Despite playing in 38 games as a freshman, he only started once, averaging 22.9 minutes per game—a number that would likely increase significantly next season.
