Auburn star Tahaad Pettiford, an SEC Player of the Year contender in 2025-26, was arrested early Saturday morning on a DUI charge in Lee County, Alabama, according to jail logs.
Pettiford, 19, was released midday, a source told ESPN, and is no longer listed as an inmate on the jail’s log.
“We are aware of the situation, and we will handle it internally with Tahaad and his family,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement to ESPN on Saturday. “We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward.”
Pettiford’s arrest on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol comes just weeks after he withdrew from the NBA draft. Pettiford, who averaged 11.6 PPG in his freshman season for an Auburn team that secured the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament and reached the Final Four, is the cornerstone of Auburn’s next chapter after the departure of star Johni Broome.
On Saturday night, he posted an apology via social media.
“Last night, I made a serious mistake and one that I take full responsibility for. My actions put myself and others at risk, and for that, I’m deeply sorry. There is no excuse,” he said on his Instagram Story. “To my family, teammates, coaches, and fans, I know I’ve let you down. I understand the disappointment and concern that this has caused, and I want you to know that I’m taking this seriously. This is not who I am, and not who I will be.
“I’m committed to learning from this moment and making meaningful, positive changes in my life. I’m grateful for the support and accountability of those around me, and I will work to earn back the trust I’ve lost.”
Following his withdrawal from the draft, Pettiford said he returned to Auburn in part to prove that he can compete at the next level.
“I was happy to go through the process, getting feedback from NBA teams,” Pettiford told ESPN then. “Going back to Auburn is a better situation for me. I see myself being a higher pick next year. It wasn’t 100% this year, so I didn’t want to take that chance.”
Although he didn’t receive the same buzz as some of the top freshmen in the country during the 2024-25 season, Pettiford was widely viewed as one of the best young players in the country.
He’s on a short list of players who will enter the 2025-26 season as a possible preseason All-American. He averaged 15.2 PPG in five NCAA tournament games.
Before his team’s run to the Final Four, Pearl praised Pettiford’s humility and refusal to get upset when he had to accept less playing time on a squad full of top veterans.
“I suppose some would just sort of expect that to be a problem,” Pearl said about Pettiford’s situation in April. “Not a word. Not a body language, shoulder shrug, roll eye ever from Tahaad.”
