On Sept. 22, former Aubrun head coach Bruce Pearl shocked the college basketball world when he announced his retirement.
Pearl’s announcement not only came on the heels of another success Auburn season and offseason, but on the first day of practice leading into the 2025-26 campaign.
In Pearl’s abscence, his son, Steven Pearl, is stepping into the role his father previously filled for the Tigers. While this came as a shock to many, it hasn’t made a massive impact on Auburn’s roster for the upcoming season.
According to the Tigers’ new head coach, standouts Keyshawn Hall and Tahaad Pettiford will remain on the team’s roster rather than enter the transfer portal. The portal is closed for most athletes, but coaching changes in the NCAA grant students a new window to choose a new destination.
Fortunately for Auburn, though, the team appears to be keeping two of its most important pieces. Following a strong freshman year, Pettiford has the chance to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft if he turns in another strong campaign against SEC competition.
BIG NEWS: Keyshawn Hall and Tahaad Pettiford will not entertain the transfer portal and will return to play for Steven Pearl, the new head coach says after Pro Day. Massive retention news there. @AuburnOn3 pic.twitter.com/EXN18dUvtD
— Justin Hokanson (@_JHokanson) October 1, 2025
Coming out of high school, the talented guard was a five-star prospect, rated the No. 29 overall player and No. 2 point guard in 2024 class according to 247Sports. During his first year of college basketball, Pettiford tallied 11.6 points, three assists and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 42.1% from the field and 36.6% from beyond the arc on five attempts per game.
If Pettiford increases his efficiency, the sophomore will likely earn a spot in the top 30 of the upcoming draft class. The former Hudson Catholic (NJ) star tested the NBA Draft waters in 2025, but elected to return to school.
At the NBA Combine, Pettiford measured 6-feet and a quarter of an inch tall without shoes while weighing less than 170 pounds. Pettiford’s size could be a concern for some teams, as his height and weight will make it difficult to play defense at the next level.
Additionally, getting shots off and getting to his spots could be challengeing for Pettiford against stronger, lengthy defenders in the NBA.
While his size may push him down some draft boards, but the 20-year-old also recorded a 6-foot-5 and half an inch wingpsan at the combine, and could use his length to make up for a lack of height.
In 2024-25, Pettiford averaged 22.9 minutes across 38 appearances and one start, helping Auburn to the Final 4 and earning NCAA All-Region and SEC All-Freshman honors along the way.
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