Charles Barkley praises Tahaad Pettiford for avoiding ‘really bad decision’ in NBA Draft, returning to Auburn

Charles Barkley could have covered Tahaad Pettiford this season in the league had he elected to stay in the NBA Draft. Instead, he’ll do so from his alma mater on The Plains, which the all-time player for the Tigers thinks was the right decision in the end.

Barkley discussed choices about the NBA Draft these days in relation to NIL, with Pettiford put as the example, yesterday while at the Bruce, Barkley and Basketball Golf Classic. He thinks those decisions aren’t difficult anymore considering the transparency during the draft process and how much money is at stake in name, image, and likeness that prospects would be leaving behind if they weren’t a first-rounder for certain.

“Well, I think it’s going to help him, and a lot of these other players. Because a lot of these players make bad decisions, and they go to the NBA and they don’t make it and they’re kind of screwed,” said Barkley. “Listen, man. I always tell people. You can find out what the NBA thinks of you easily now more than ever. They’ll tell you you’re not going to get drafted in the first round – because, first of all, there’s no need to leave college if you’re not going to go in the first round and get guaranteed money, especially now with the NIL situation.

“We have a bunch of guys make really bad decisions because, once you leave school and don’t make it in the NBA, you’re just kind of screwed.”

Pettiford was one of those fringe first-round picks coming off his freshman season at Auburn. He entered his name in the draft, after averaging 11.6 points (42.1% FG, 36.6% 3PT on 1.8 makes), 3.0 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game off the bench for the Tigers, but elected to withdraw at the deadline to return to college basketball for ’25-’26.

“I think he made a good decision,” said Barkley.

Pettiford could have elected to leave Auburn this month with the sudden retirement of Bruce Pearl opening a 30-day window of the NCAA Transfer Portal. However, the roster stayed put to play for the program’s new head coach in Steven Pearl, with Pettiford being the most important piece of that as one of the best players, let alone guards, in the sport – with him earning an honor as a selection to the Preseason All-SEC First Team on Monday.

Pettiford could’ve already been in the pros had he made a different decision in May. He’ll be back with No. 20 Auburn, though, in trying to lead the program, in their first season of this sudden new tenure, back to success in the SEC and the NCAA Tournament.