How likely is Tahaad Pettiford's return to Auburn basketball? Bruce Pearl explains.
It's not lost on Bruce Pearl that a potential anchor of his 2025-26 Auburn basketball roster is currently lighting it up on the path to the pros.
Tahaad Pettiford caught fire on the NBA draft combine's first day, posting a team-high 23 points on 50% shooting in Wednesday's first scrimmage, hitting four of his eight attempts from distance while dishing eight assists and recording two steals.
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Pearl acknowledged Thursday at the Jimmy Rane Foundation's annual fundraiser banquet in Montgomery that Pettiford was "the best player on the floor," but he also said "nothing's really changed."
"If Tahaad has an opportunity to get a first-round guarantee contract, then I think he's going to go," Pearl said. "And he should go, if he gets a first-round guarantee."
Pettiford has been projected as a fringe first-rounder since before entering the draft process on April 7. With a combine invitation, he's positioned to capitalize on his stock. However, he has just one more month to decide whether he'll stay in college or go pro, with the draft's withdrawal deadline at 4 p.m. CT June 15.
"We'll get really good information from the NBA," Pearl said. "And if he decides to come back to Auburn, we'll be a lot better team. He will take advantage of the year, and get bigger and stronger."
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Pettiford shined in a sixth-man role for the Tigers, helping them to their second-ever Final Four appearance as a freshman. He averaged 11.6 points and 3.0 assists in 38 games, making just one start. Two of his six 20-point performances came in the NCAA Tournament, when Auburn beat Creighton and Michigan to help advance to the Elite Eight.
Pearl knows that, while the return of Pettiford would be optimal, he also has to prepare for the worst case of him going one-and-done.
"We are absolutely in conversation with some players (transfers) that know, if Tahaad stays, this is an option," Pearl said. "We have to be."
Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn basketball assessing options should Tahaad Pettiford go pro
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