After his freshman season with the Auburn Tigers, guard Tahaad Pettiford attempted to take his talents to the NBA, declaring for the 2025 draft while maintaining his college eligibility.
Pettiford saw his draft stock rise after Auburn's run to the Final Four, averaging 11.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists through five tournament games.
But the former five-star prospect (247 Sports) didn't quite receive the projections he was hoping for. Many mock drafts had him landing in the second round despite
With that being said, on Wednesday, the final day to withdraw from the 2025 NBA Draft, Pettiford announced that he will be returning for his second college basketball season.
"heard they wanted to run it back at neville?" Pettiford wrote on Instagram.
Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau, who transferred after two seasons with the North Carolina Tar Heels, left a comment to his childhood friend, setting high expectations for Pettiford in 2025-26.
"1st team all american," Cadeau wrote.
Cadeau and Pettiford have had a close relationship since their days together in elementary school in New Jersey. The two are quite active on social media, constantly commenting on each other's posts.
"We met, I was in first (grade), he was in second, it was something like that," Pettiford said on "Swish Cultures." "We met actually at a basketball tournament. My first time I was leaving a football game, he was on the team. We met, and he was the first person I talked to on the whole tea,m and we just had like a connection since."
North Carolina Tar Heels guard Elliot Cadeau (3).
North Carolina Tar Heels guard Elliot Cadeau (3).
John Jones-Imagn Images
Pettiford ultimately would have stayed in the draft had he been a projected first-round pick. However, in an interview with ESPN, he revealed that waiting until the 2026 NBA Draft may be better for him.
"I was happy to go through the process, getting feedback from NBA teams," Pettiford commented. "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."