Auburn head basketball coach Bruce Pearl has done well to rebuild a roster that lost its entire starting five. Whether or not he's done enough comes down to Tahaad Pettiford's NBA decision.
The Athletic's CJ Moore believes as much, anyway.
"It would have been nice to potentially return Tahaad Pettiford and Baker-Mazara for at least some continuity from a Final Four team, but now it’s just Pettiford, assuming he doesn’t stay in the NBA Draft,” Moore wrote. “So, you could make the argument for Auburn as a portal loser, but I like the roster Pearl built on the fly, especially if Pettiford is back."
Pettiford gave ESPN an idea of where his head is as it pertains to the NBA draft.
"I'm looking for an NBA team that values my skill set and sees my long-term potential," Pettiford told ESPN. "The right fit and organization that values me. I'll sit down with my family and representation and decide whether to stay in the draft."
Pettiford was grateful about his time on the Plains.
"We had an amazing year," Pettiford said. "I couldn't have asked for a better freshman season. We lost in the Final Four, but that doesn't change the year we had."
Pettiford was Auburn's sparkplug sixth man but may have been the team's deadliest all-around offensive weapon. If he returns to the Tigers, he'd undoubtedly be a starter. Especially after he graciously accepted a second unit role, something Pearl was particularly appreciative of.
AU's ceiling is another Final Four with Pettiford given the portal additions of Keyshawn Hall, Keyshawn Murphy, Kevin Overton, and Elyjah Freeman and Class of 2025 recruits Sebastian Williams-Adams, Kaden Magwood, Abdul Bashir, Simon Walker, and Emeka Opurum.