Auburn basketball star Tahaad Pettiford was arrested early Saturday morning on a DUI charge in Lee County, Alabama. According to jail logs, Pettiford was released midday and is no longer listed as an inmate.
“We’re aware of the situation and will handle it internally with Tahaad and his family,” said Auburn coach Bruce Pearl in a statement. The 19-year-old’s arrest comes just weeks after he withdrew from the NBA draft and returned to Auburn, citing a desire to prove himself at the next level.
Pettiford was widely viewed as one of the top young players in the country, averaging 15.2 points per game in five NCAA tournament games. Despite not receiving significant attention during his freshman season, he is on a short list of players who could enter the 2025-26 season as preseason All-Americans.
Pearl praised Pettiford’s humility and maturity, saying “he didn’t have any issues” with limited playing time. However, this latest incident raises concerns about Pettiford’s judgment and behavior off the court.
Source: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/45723835/auburn-star-tahaad-pettiford-arrested-suspicion-dui