It is becoming more common for top college basketball players to return to school. Entering the 2026-27 season, the Auburn Tigers have one of the top returning players in the SEC.
For the second year in a row, Auburn talked guard Tahaad Pettiford into returning. The junior point guard is rated as the No. 9 returning player by The Field of 68 as the season approaches. Pettiford is one of five returning players from last season's NIT Championship squad, which includes his backcourt teammate, Kevin Overton.
The 2025-26 season was a bit of a disappointment for Pettiford. He was second on the team in points, scoring 15.4 per game, but his shooting percentage dropped sharply from 42% to 39% from the field, and 37% to 29% from three-point range. More
was asked of Pettiford as a sophomore than his freshman season when the Tigers made it to the Final Four. In his first season, he was the top player off the bench, but last season he was expected to be the best player on the roster. Auburn, however, did a good job of building a better roster for this upcoming season through the transfer portal, which should lead to more success for Pettiford.
He was the only player from Auburn on the list from The Field of 68. Leading the way were the Florida Gators with Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, and Rueben Chinyelu. Many experts expect the Gators to be the top team in the SEC this upcoming season.
Tyler Tanner takes the top spot in our Top 10 SEC returners 🔥
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) October 9, 2026
Who would you have at No. 1? 🤔
🎥: https://t.co/a5UBCa5dfG pic.twitter.com/LrXzQ4P1gm
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford is among The Field of 68's top SEC returners
