Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford Has One Word After Transfer Portal Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Apr 9, 2026 4:51 PM ET

Tahaad Pettiford and the Auburn Tigers did not have the 2025-26 college basketball season they were hoping for, just one year removed from a Final Four appearance. After finishing the regular season with a 17-16 record and a 7-11 mark in SEC play, Auburn missed out on the NCAA Tournament entirely, instead earning a spot in the NIT, where it defeated the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the championship.

Despite the team’s struggles, Pettiford helped lead the way for the Tigers in his first season as a starter. The sophomore guard from Jersey City, N.J., averaged 15.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and a team-high 3.8 assists per game. And while many await whether Pettiford will enter the NBA draft, another SEC guard will be on the move.

Auburn Tigers guard Tahaad Pettiford© Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Simeon Wilcher, a 6-foot-4 guard out of Roselle Catholic High School (Roselle, New Jersey), was a four-star prospect in the recruiting class of 2023 (247Sports). He ranked as the 49th-best overall prospect in his class, along with the ninth-best combo guard and the fifth-best from the state of New Jersey.

Wilcher spent his first two college seasons with the St. John's Red Storm, and while he did not see much playing time during his freshman year, his role increased significantly during his sophomore campaign, averaging 8.0 points and 1.4 assists in 25.4 minutes per game. After the 2024-25 season, Wilcher transferred to the Texas Longhorns, but saw a diminished role, averaging 5.6 points and 1.7 assists in 18.6 minutes per game.

And on Thursday, Wilcher decided it was time for yet another change, entering his name into the transfer portal ahead of his senior season.

"BREAKING: Texas guard Simeon Wilcher has entered the transfer portal, per Pete Nakos," Recruits News wrote on Instagram.

Pettiford took notice of his fellow New Jersey native's career move, sharing the news about Wilcher on his Instagram Story with a simple message: "yep."

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Auburn has lost two players to the transfer portal as well, with guard Kaden Magwood and forward Filip Jovic departing following the NIT championship win.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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