Tahaad Pettiford rejoins Auburn, eyes higher draft slot in '26 - ESPN

Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford will withdraw from the 2025 NBA draft and return to the Tigers for his sophomore season, he told ESPN on Wednesday.

«I was happy to go through the process, getting feedback from NBA teams,» Pettiford told ESPN. «Going back to Auburn is a better situation for me. I see myself being a higher pick next year. It wasn't 100% this year, so I didn't want to take that chance.

»Being a short guard, it won't be easy to play in the league, but I know I can do it. It's maybe not the right time."

Pettiford, who was the No. 35 prospect in ESPN's NBA draft rankings, had a strong showing at the draft combine, including a 23-point, 8-assist, 2-steal performance in the opening scrimmage. He drew significant interest from teams picking in the first round, conducting six individual workouts with teams, and will enter next season as a projected first-round pick in the 2026 draft.

The 6-foot-1 guard ultimately elected to return to the certainty of a leading role for an Auburn team that made the Final Four last season. He averaged 11.6 points and 3.0 assists in 22.9 minutes per game and earned a spot on the SEC's All-Freshman Team.

«I plan on putting all the tools that teams told me to work on together and get better overall,» Pettiford said. «Going back to Auburn and trying to win another championship, do what we did this year.»

Pettiford, 19, ranked first on the Tigers in assists and third in scoring, despite finishing sixth in minutes played, which helped him carve out a strong role on a deep, veteran squad that started five players ages 22 to 25.

Pettiford's late-game heroics coming off the bench helped propel Auburn to the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament. He then posted 23 points against Creighton