Rutgers star Ace Bailey, UNC hooper Elliot Cadeau & more react as Tahaad Pettiford returns to Auburn for 2025-26 season

Tahaad Pettiford will return to Auburn men’s basketball after withdrawing from the 2025 NBA draft. Pettiford announced his return Wednesday in an Instagram post that included a highlight reel of his best games with the Tigers.

Posting a photo where he declared, "I'm back," he said:

"Heard they wanted to run it back at neville?"

His announcement generated buzz, with fellow college basketball stars and fans flooding the comments section to celebrate his decision.

"❤️❤️," Rutgers freshman star Ace Bailey wrote.

"Boy fenna have a year💰🖤," Alabama star Labaron Philon wrote.

"1st team all American," UNC's Elliot Cadeau wrote.

"uh oh 👀," Michigan State's Jase Richardson also wrote.

College basketball stars react to Tahaad Pettiford's return to Auburn Tigers on IG. Image via @haad.0

Here are more comments from fans welcoming Pettiford back.

"It’s like Christmas 🥹❤️," a fan wrote.

"Yeah haad 💯," another fan wrote.

"I hope you know how excited your Auburn family is for this news!!!!!" a fan commented.

"Screaming. Crying. Throwing up. 😭💙 War Eagle," another fan commented.

College hoop fans react to Tahaad Pettiford's return to Auburn Tigers on IG. Image via @haad.0

Tahaad Pettiford set to be a starter for Auburn next season

Tahaad Pettiford's imminent return to college basketball sparked reactions on social media. Pettiford, who withdrew from the 2025 NBA draft after turning heads at the combine, was a force off the bench for the Tigers last season.

He averaged 11.6 points, 3.0 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game in 34 games with one start, helping Auburn win the SEC regular-season title and reach the Final Four of the men’s NCAA tournament.

Pettiford is expected to make a stronger impact, with coach Bruce Pearl confirming that the freshman guard will be a starter if he returns to the team.

"He's going to have to play an expanded role, which I know is something that is exciting to him and probably exciting to our fan base, too — because we'll get to see more of him," Pearl said in April. "He'll be a starter. There will be more on him."

With his return, Pettiford joins Auburn’s stacked roster, which includes transfer talents like Division II star Elyjah Freeman; Texas Tech transfer Kevin Overton; Mississippi State transfer KeShawn Murphy; UCF transfer Keyshawn Hall; and Serbian big man Filip Jovic.

Auburn also landed commitments from four-star small forward Sebastian Williams-Adams, four-star shooting guard Kaden Magwood and four-star shooting guard Simon Walker, who will join the Tigers for their freshman season.