Big news shook the college basketball world as Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers gear up for what could be another standout season in 2025-26.
Following a Final Four appearance last season that ended in a tough loss to a conference foe, Auburn appears primed to reload for another deep postseason push.
One of the key players in that success was freshman guard , who played a major role in Auburn’s offensive attack during the tournament. After initially declaring for the NBA Draft while preserving his college eligibility, Pettiford made a bold and straightforward announcement:
“I’m back.”
With those two words, Auburn officially regained one of its brightest young stars, as he confirmed his return for a second season.
Though the Tigers will be without last season’s standout Johni Broome, who has exhausted his eligibility, Pettiford’s return has already sparked excitement. Broome, showing his support, posted a brief but meaningful message to his former teammate:
“10 toes behind ya.”
With that message, Johni Broome made it clear he’s fully backing Pettiford, showing strong support for his former teammate as the young guard gears up to lead Auburn into the 2025–26 season.
Pettiford, a 19-year-old product of Hudson Catholic in Jersey City, New Jersey, was a highly regarded four-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. He committed to Auburn despite receiving offers from top-tier programs such as Kansas, Kentucky, UConn, and UCLA.
As a freshman, Pettiford played in all 38 games, averaging 11.6 points per contest. He proved to be a reliable shooter, hitting 36.6% from three-point range and 80.4% from the free-throw line. In Auburn’s season-ending 79-73 loss to Florida in the national semifinals, he logged 23 minutes on the court, contributing seven points and four assists.
To strengthen the roster, Bruce Pearl has assembled an impressive transfer class. New additions include Kevin Overton from Texas Tech, KeShawn Murphy from Mississippi State, Keyshawn Hall from UCF, and Elyjah Freeman from Division II powerhouse Lincoln Memorial. These incoming players will be tasked with helping replace the production of Johni Broome, who collected numerous accolades in 2025, including SEC Player of the Year and Sporting News Player of the Year.
Johni Broome wrapped up his final season averaging 18.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He tallied 15 points in Auburn’s 79-73 Final Four loss to Florida, coming off a dominant performance in the Elite Eight where he posted 25 points and 14 rebounds against Michigan State.
With Pettiford returning and a strong group of newcomers joining the roster, Bruce Pearl and the Tigers appear well-equipped to contend for another deep postseason run in the upcoming season.