Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford is preparing for his sophomore season and was seen training with Stephen Curry's longtime trainer, Brandon Payne. The former four-star recruit from Hudson Catholic High School is focused on enhancing his skills for the upcoming season and improving his NBA draft stock next year.On Friday, Bleacher Report Hoops posted pictures of Pettiford working out with Payne on Instagram. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThe photos drew attention from hoops fans, garnering over 27,000 likes and numerous comments. Here are some of the reactions:"Learning from a great one, that’s for sure!" one fan wrote."imo its smart he stayed in college one more szn, he’ll show the scouts why he should be lottery, bros a bucket," a fan said."His sophomore season fina be crazy," another added."Cant wait for season 2. Guarantee lottery pick this summer," a user predicted."My Goat in my opinion, no glaze, hes just so tuff 🤦‍♂️," one comment read."Omg this dude is crazy good he going first round next year easy," another optimistic fan added.Fans commented on Instagram (@br_hoops/IG)Tahaad Pettiford withdrew his name from the 2025 draft to return to Auburn and now he is learning from one of the NBA's most respected trainers, which will undoubtedly aid his development.According to ESPN mock draft, he was projected to be the second round pick June, but he opted to play another year of collegiate basketball.Tahaad Pettiford expected to shine with Auburn's completely rebuilt rosterAfter 11 players from the last season's Final Four team, including Johni Broome and Miles Kelly, departed this offseason, coach Bruce Pearl was forced to reconstruct the roster from scratch, leveraging both transfer portal acquisitions and incoming freshmen.Tahaad Pettiford was the only returning scholarship player and will be pivotal in leading the new Auburn team. He averaged 11.6 points and 3.0 assists per game last season, leading the Tigers to a 32-6 record and a regular season conference title.For the upcoming season, Pettiford will be joined by several highly-touted transfers. Keyshawn Hall of UCF and KeShawn Murphy of Mississippi State are expected to bolster the team’s frontcourt depth.Additionally, incoming freshmen like four-star recruits Kaden Magwood and Sebastian Williams-Adams will provide additional backcourt talent to the roster. Pettiford's goal is to win another championship and make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament like last year's team.