Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford was supposed to dominate this season and become a guaranteed lock as a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
After dazzling last year’s NBA Draft combine, it was evident that could be a reality for the 6-foot-1, 170-pound guard. However, Pettiford has slipped to the end of most NBA mock drafts.
Two CBS Sports analysts had Pettiford going at the end of the first round to the Detroit Pistons. A big board on Bleacher Report had him falling all the way to the second round to the Washington Wizards.
Pettiford is Auburn’s second leading scorer averaging 15.2 points per game this season. Coming into the 2025-26 season, Pettiford talked about NBA scouts telling him to improve on the defensive end and becoming more of a leader.
Despite recording 0.9 blocks per game, Pettiford’s lack of discipline off the court may be steering teams expected to be selecting in the lottery (picks No. 1-14) away from the Auburn guard.
“Tahaad’s got to do a better job of leading by example, and that’s something we continuously talk about,” Auburn coach Steven Pearl said after taking him out the starting lineup against Georgia. “Until he does those things off the court... he’s got to stop putting me in these positions where I have to make difficult decisions. That’s part of growth, and that’s part of learning.”
Auburn Oregon Basketball
Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford (0) reacts to a call during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Oregon in Las Vegas, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)AP
Pearl did not go into detail on what exactly Pettiford did. However, over the offseason Pettiford was also arrested for a DUI back in July. He was booked into the Lee County Jail before posting bail.
“Just got to be better,” Pettiford said back at SEC Media Days. “Can’t make dumb decisions that can ultimately change my life. Just think smarter sometimes.”
Through his inconsistent shooting and hot-and-cold stretches, Pettiford ultimately looks similar to the player he was last year.
After finding his shooting touch halfway through Auburn’s nonconference schedule, Pettiford also hasn’t shown anything new as a playmaker, as his assist percentage is exactly the same as last year.
“So Tahaad, while he needs to balance scoring the ball, we also need him as our point guard and get others involved,” Pearl said. “To kind of build the confidence of those around him because then it takes less – it takes the pressure off of him when other guys are doing what they need to be doing, or what they’re capable of doing. So, I think early in games, I think we really need him to focus more on facilitating."
Pettiford averages 3.0 assists per game compared to other guards in the country expected to be drafted in the first round like Alabama’s Labaron Philon Jr., Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr., Purdue’s Braden Smith and Arkansas’s Darius Acuff Jr. who are averaging five or more assists per game.
Conference play has just begun for Auburn, and Pettiford has plenty of opportunity to still wow NBA scouts and boost his chances at being drafted high this year.
If Pettiford does fall out of the first round of the draft, he could possibly return back to Auburn for his junior season with a much more mature mindset.