Auburn’s freshman guard, a former McDonald’s All-American, spoke to reporters after the Tigers fell in a national semifinal game to Florida, 79-73. Visibly emotional, fans were left wondering what exactly did Tahaad Pettiford say?
Freshman Standout Thankful for Initial Auburn Experience
Auburn’s Pettiford, a freshman guard from Jersey City, N.J., delivered on the promise that made him one of the most celebrated recruits in the Class of 2024.
Pettiford finished as Auburn’s third-leading scorer, averaging 11.7 points per game and earning SEC All-Freshman team honors.
After struggling in the SEC Tournament—scoring just five points over two games—the 6’1″ guard bounced back in the NCAA Tournament, averaging more than 17 points and four rebounds as the No. 1 overall seed Tigers won the South Region and advanced to the Final Four for the second time in five years.
However, in their Final Four loss to SEC rival Florida, Pettiford battled through shooting woes.
He came off the bench and played 20 minutes, finishing 1-for-10 from the field, including 0-for-4 from three-point range. He totaled seven points and four assists in the 79-73 defeat.
Despite the tough outing and their season ending short of a championship, Pettiford expressed gratitude for his experience and teammates.
“This might be the best year of my life, obviously,” Pettiford told reporters. “Just being out there with my guys and doing what we do best. You know, try to win for Auburn, but obviously we was cut short. But I wouldn’t trade this experience for nothing.”
Next year’s Auburn roster will look significantly different, with leading scorers Chad Baker-Mazara and consensus first-team All-American Johni Broome graduating, along with the usual comings and goings via the transfer portal.
One major addition is already in place — UCF’s Keyshawn Hall, one of the top-ranked small forwards in the portal, has committed to Auburn.
MORE: Walter Clayton Jr.’s Historic Night Propels Florida Into National Championship
Still, Pettiford appears to be a key piece for head coach Bruce Pearl to build around as the Tigers aim to make Final Four appearances a regular part of the program’s future.
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