An Auburn Tigers basketball player has gotten himself into some legal problems.
ESPN’s Myron Medcalf said that Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford was detained early Saturday morning on a DUI charge. Pettiford was detained in Lee County, Alabama, and released from jail by midday, according to Medcalf.
“We are aware of the situation, and we will handle it internally with Tahaad and his family,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl told ESPN. “We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward.”
Pettiford, 19, was a standout freshman for the Tigers last season. His 11.6 points and 3.0 assists per game guided Auburn to a 32-6 record and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament (they later advanced to the Final Four).
Pettiford originally entered the 2025 NBA Draft, but he withdrew to return to the Tigers for his sophomore season. He is expected to be a first-round pick in 2026 and has even been considered as a potential SEC Player of the Year candidate for the following season.
With Johni Broome now in the NBA (he was selected in the second round this year by the Philadelphia 76ers), Pettiford has a decent chance of being Auburn’s best scorer next season, especially since teammate guard Miles Kelly has also gone pro. Pettiford had some memorable moments during this year’s March Madness, but he now needs to resolve some personal issues before returning to the court.