Tahaad Pettiford, a standout freshman for the Auburn Tigers men’s basketball team last season, was arrested on Saturday morning for DUI.
Pettiford, who is currently 19 and on a shortlist of candidates to be SEC Player of the Year in 2025-26, spent time in prison in Lee County, Alabama on Saturday. He was released the same day around noon on a $1,000 bond.
Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl said that he is aware of what happened and will handle it accordingly.
"We are aware of the situation, and we will handle it internally with Tahaad and his family," Pearl said. "We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward."
Last season, Pettiford averaged 11.6 points per game, on a team that advanced to the Final Four before losing to eventual champion Florida. In the past, Pearl has praised Pettiford for his willingness to wait his turn to crack the rotation, and his patience will likely be rewarded in the fall.
"I suppose some would just sort of expect that to be a problem," Pearl said about Pettiford's situation in April. "Not a word. Not a body language, shoulder shrug, roll eye ever from Tahaad."
However, this off-the-court matter certainly casts a shadow over his offseason. The event also occurred just weeks after Pettiford withdrew from the NBA Draft, citing a desire to make himself more ready for the pros.
"I was happy to go through the process, getting feedback from NBA teams," Pettiford said in an interview with ESPN. "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."
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