The Auburn Tigers' basketball program has had quite a tough couple of weeks, from losing both of their first two preseason games to losing out on a big-time overseas recruit and firing their men's basketball general manager.
However, there is some welcome news for the Auburn faithful: Tahaad Pettiford has been named to the Bob Cousy Award watchlist.
This watchlist, which releases just before the regular season each year, consists of 20 of the best point guards in the country. This year, eight SEC point guards were named to the list, and Pettiford found himself included in that bunch.
Pettiford has been a standout for the Tigers ever since committing to the program back in 2024. A five-star composite recruit out of Hudson Catholic in New Jersey, Pettiford was ranked as the second-best point guard in the country, only behind Rob Wright III, who committed to Baylor and now plays for BYU.
The left-hander's first season with the Tigers was nothing short of magical, as Pettiford came off the bench for an Auburn roster that boasted some of the best talent the program has seen, including NBA-caliber players like Johni Broome, Miles Kelly, Denver Johnson, Dylan Cardwell and even Chaney Johnson, who has been seeing increased NBA production over the past few months.
That roster made it all the way to the Final Four, with Broome finishing second in Player of the Year honors, as Pettiford averaged 11.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists on an average of 22.9 minutes played per game.
After that season, though, things changed dramatically on the Plains. Most of the talent from the 2024 team graduated or hit the NBA Draft, while Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl retired just before the 2025 season, leaving the reins-and Pettiford's future-to his son, Steven.
Pettiford took on a much more involved role for the Tigers in 2025, jumping to an average of 32.3 minutes played per game. Over that time, the sophomore averaged 15.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and a team-high 3.8 assists per game as he blossomed into a facilitator that could keep Auburn's offense running.
The 2025 season was a bit of a disappointment for the Tigers, though, as depth issues led to struggles throughout the season, resulting in the Tigers missing out completely on the NCAA Tournament and settling for a berth in the NIT, which Auburn went on to win off the back of Pettiford and new transfer guard Kevin Overton.
Now, Pettiford is in his junior season with the Tigers, who once again have an almost entirely new-look roster, but his consistency is expected to stick around over the course of the season. So far, Pettiford has averaged 15.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists over two preseason games, though those numbers are likely to increase as Pettiford settles into this team and this season.
The Tigers certainly have a premium point guard option in Pettiford, who is likely in the final stages of his collegiate career before heading to the NBA Draft. A big-time season this year could not only help the Tigers' chances at a deep tournament run, but also net him the Cousy Award and boost his draft stock dramatically.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/auburn as Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford Named to Prestigious Award Watchlist Ahead of 2026 Season .
