Subscribe
Follow Us
Auburn basketball standout Tahaad Pettiford, who made the All-SEC Freshman Team and helped the Tigers advance to their second Final Four in program history, was arrested early Saturday morning on a DUI charge in Lee County, Alabama, per ESPN's Myron Medcalf.
Because Pettiford is just 19 years old, his blood alcohol level would only have to be 0.02 percent to be considered illegal in Alabama. His bail is set at $1,000. Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl issued a statement following the arrest.
“We are aware of the situation, and we will handle it internally with Tahaad and his family,” the four-time SEC Coach of the Year said. “We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward.”
The Tigers community will wait to see how the team decides to handle this situation. Pettiford scored 11.6 points on 42.1 percent shooting from the field and 36.6 percent shooting from 3-point range last season. He also led Auburn with 3.0 assists despite averaging just 22.9 minutes per contest. The 2024 McDonald's All-American did not command the national attention that SEC Player of the Year Johni Broome did, but he was arguably the X-factor of Pearl's squad.
Tahaad Pettiford scored at least 20 points in back-to-back NCAA Tournament games, catching the eye of scouts. He declared for the NBA Draft and participated in the Combine but ultimately withdrew his name from consideration in May. The Jersey City, New Jersey native is returning to Auburn basketball and is expected to be one of the top guards in the country during the 2025-26 campaign.
There is always a possibility he faces disciplinary action, though. Pearl and the rest of the program will likely try to glean more information from Pettiford's arrest before deciding how to proceed. The Tigers officially begin practice for next season this September.
