Auburn basketball is facing a significant roster overhaul following its deep NCAA Tournament run, and the upcoming season’s outlook hinges on a few critical pieces falling into place—most notably the return of freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford. Pettiford, a dynamic scorer and flashy playmaker, has declared for the NBA Draft but preserved his college eligibility, leaving head coach Bruce Pearl and Auburn fans in a state of watchful anticipation.
Despite losing almost the entire rotation from last year’s Final Four squad—including veterans like Johni Broome, Dylan Cardwell, Miles Kelly, and Denver Jones—Pearl has remained active in the transfer portal, especially targeting size and strength for the frontcourt. Among those additions are KeShawn Murphy (Ole Miss), Elyjah Freeman (Division II), and Keyshawn Hall (UCF), all bringing physicality and versatility to the Tigers’ lineup. Now, Pearl is set to host 6-foot-11 Louisville transfer James Scott, a potential game-changer on the interior.
Scott’s metrics from last season are elite. He’s a pure paint presence, scoring nearly 87% of his points at the rim, and ranked in the 99th percentile in effective field goal percentage at 75.9%. On defense, his impact was equally notable, holding opponents to just 34.2% shooting in the paint when he was on the court—10 percentage points better than when he sat. If Auburn lands Scott, it will be their fourth frontcourt addition via the portal, underscoring Pearl’s aggressive pivot to bolster the post.
However, the real concern isn’t in the paint—it’s in the backcourt. Auburn currently lacks a clear primary ball handler. Despite adding Texas Tech’s Kevin Overton, a 6-foot-5 off-ball guard, and building around scorers like Hall, there’s still a void at point guard. Hall had only a modest 15% assist rate at UCF, and Overton’s was just 6.8%. In an offense reliant on fluid ball movement and creation through the flex offense, those numbers don’t signal strong playmaking upside.
That’s where Pettiford becomes the critical domino. Though not a traditional pass-first point guard, he showed marked development throughout his freshman year and has the scoring punch and vision to function as Auburn’s offensive engine. Pearl’s apparent lack of urgency in landing a true point guard could suggest strong confidence in Pettiford’s return—or perhaps in incoming four-star freshman Kaden Magwood, who would face a steep learning curve taking over such a significant role.
Ultimately, if Pettiford withdraws from the NBA Draft and rejoins a frontcourt that potentially includes Scott, Auburn could return to Final Four contention with a well-rounded, high-ceiling roster. But if Pettiford stays in the draft and no elite playmaker emerges, Pearl’s team may struggle to generate offense, despite its interior dominance.
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