Auburn Daily

Auburn's Pettiford Named to Bob Cousy Award Watch List

Tahaad Pettiford headlines Auburn's roster after a stellar freshman year with the Tigers.
Terrance Biggs|
Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford headlines the Tigers' roster as the sole scholarship returner from last year's Final Four squad.
Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford headlines the Tigers' roster as the sole scholarship returner from last year's Final Four squad. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

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The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame named Auburn Tigers sophomore guard Tahaad Pettiford to their Bob Cousy Award watch list. The award recognizes the best point guard in Division 1 basketball, comprising 364 schools.

Pettiford, a Jersey City native, hopes to act as the catalyst to Auburn's run at a national title. Last year, the Tigers reached the Final Four, succumbing to eventual champion Florida.

From the Bench to the Spotlight

Pettiford started just one game of the 38 he competed in during his first year on The Plains. Granted, he still played 22.9 minutes per game, but the Tigers never relied on him to be the star. With Johni Broome, a walking double-double, former head coach Bruce Pearl directed the offense through him.

Broome became one of the greatest players in school history before joining the Philadelphia 76ers. Pettiford will transform Auburn from a big-man-dominant team to one that plays with a quick pace that fancies Pettiford as both the facilitator and playmaker.

Second Thought

After the season, Pettiford entered the NFL Draft pool. Auburn looked to move on. However, unfavorable testing results changed the player's mind. He made his intentions clear to ESPN last summer.

"I was happy to go through the process, getting feedback from NBA teams," he said. "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."

Two and Through

Based on that comment, Pettiford wants to improve his draft stock while helping first-year coach Steven Pearl find his way through his first season. One of the aspects of the sophomore's game is his assist-to-turnover ratio. As a freshman, Pettitord's 3:1.6 fit as a sparkplug off the bench.

However, Auburn will need him to balance scoring with distribution. They cannot always leave the guard's hands in a shot attempt. The team didn't spend much time bringing a scorer from UCF in Keyshawn Hall.

Pearl will see Hall as the beneficiary of Pettiford's ability to drive the ball. Pettiford will speed up the pace of play, hoping to run specific teams out of the arena, based on pure speed.

Bottom Line

If the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame sees something special in Pettiford, Auburn could witness another stellar season. Granted, this one features him as the lead and not a supporting cast member. Can Pettiford lead the Tigers back to the Final Four with the NBA on his horizon?

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Terrance Biggs
TERRANCE BIGGS

Senior Editor/ Podcast Host, Full Press Coverage, Bleav, Member: Football Writers Association of America, United States Basketball Writers Association, and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, National Football Foundation Voter: FWAA All-American, Jim Thorpe, Davey O'Brien, Outland, and Biletnikoff Awards

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