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Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford Sends Message to Teammate After Entering Transfer Portal

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Max Escarpio | Last updated Apr 9, 2025 4:29 PM ET

Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers had a historic season before being halted in the NCAA Tournament.

Auburn earned a program-record 32 wins this past season, having reached the Final Four. Before losing to the eventual national champion Florida Gators, the Tigers defeated Michigan State, Michigan, Creighton and Alabama State in the NCAA Tournament.

After a great year for Pearl and company, they lost Jahki Howard, a former four-star recruit who has decided to enter the transfer portal.

Howard played just one season with the Auburn Tigers.

After announcing Howard's transfer portal decision, Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford sent his former teammate a message.

"Go be great," Pettiford said.

During his lone season with the Auburn Tigers, Howard averaged 4.2 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game.

He originally committed to Auburn as the No. 19 small forward and No. 64 overall player in the class of 2024, after visiting programs such as Georgia Tech and Arizona State, per 247Sports.

While Howard didn't get much burn during his freshman season at Auburn, it was a different story for Pettiford.

The former blue-chip recruit was a major factor in the Tigers making the Final Four. He served as a key contributor to Auburn, most notably opening up the offensive floor for the SEC powerhouse.

Pettiford capped off his freshman season at Auburn averaging 11.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

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

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