Tahaad Pettiford: Pressure Makes Diamonds

Pettiford is one of the most dynamic and gifted scorers in the country, and when he gets going, good luck trying to stop him. As an undersized guard, can he replicate this success in the NBA?

Cooper Flagg is undeniably one of the most hyped up prospects in the upcoming draft, and he rightfully deserves the attention he is receiving. In a game in early December against Auburn, Flagg put up a typical outstanding performance: 22 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. But while Flagg and Duke escaped with the 84-78 win, Tahaad Pettiford did everything he could to keep Auburn in the game. In only 18 minutes off the bench, Pettiford caught fire, scoring 20 points on 8-15 shooting from the field while also chipping in a rebound and 3 assists. Performances like these exemplify who Pettiford is as a player. He rises up in big moments, is not afraid of the pressure, and can erupt offensively. However, some questions still remain. Against bigger and quicker NBA defenders, can Pettiford be a similar offensive threat to how he was at Auburn, and will he be able to hold his own defensively?

Pettiford shooting over Houston’s Mylik Wilson(Zach Bland)

Basic Stats (2024-2025): 22.9 MPG, 11.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 1.6 TO/G, 42.1% FG%, 36.6% 3P%

Pros:

• Extremely talented scorer with the ability to score anywhere on the court

  • 11.6 PPG in 22.9 MPG → 20.2 PPG/40 min(92nd percentile)

  • Excels at making tough shots

    • Pettiford is shooting 44%(40/91) on shots with a Synergy Shot Quality below the 20th percentile, indicating a low quality shot

      • This ranks in the 89th percentile among all players

    • Capable of making floaters, fadeaways, leaning/moving shots off the dribble

  • Quick first step allows Pettiford to blow by defenders with ease and put himself in a good position

  • Pettiford also has a solid handle and an array of dribble moves that he implements in his game

    • Hesitations, crossovers, change of speed moves all help Pettiford create his own shots

• Lethal three point shooter off the catch and off the dribble

  • 36.6% 3 point shooter on 5.0 attempts/game, ranking in the 72nd percentile

  • Combining Pettiford’s ability to attack the rim with his shooting ability makes him an extremely difficult cover

• Has a great runner/floater that allows him to shoot over taller defenders

  • Shooting 51.7% on runners for the year(18/35), ranking in the 86th percentile- shows great touch and transitions very smoothly from his drive to the floater

• Pettiford handles pressure well and has shown flashes of his playmaking ability

  • His main role on Auburn was to provide a spark off the bench as the 6th man, which usually entailed scoring, but he has shown promise in the playmaking department as well

  • 3.0 APG(84th percentile), 23.0 Assist %(86th percentile)

  • Pettiford’s scoring ability often leads to him getting trapped in pick and roll situations, but he is generally comfortable and makes the right pass

  • Great at no-look passes- deceives the defenses effectively and dumps of the ball to the open man

• Seems to rise his level of play in pressure/clutch games and situations- does not shy away from the moment

.Cons:

• As a scorer/shooter, Pettiford can be very streaky at times

  • If he gets going offensively, Pettiford is very difficult to stop, but on the other hand, if he does not get in a rhythm early, he may struggle for the rest of the game

    • Examples: 1-6 FG vs Florida, 0-8 FG vs Tennessee, 0-7 FG vs Georgia

• Needs to improve finishing at the rim

  • Shooting 52.4% on FG attempts at the rim this year(27th percentile)

  • As a lefty, Pettiford is obviously stronger with his left hand, but improving his ability to finish with his right hand would significantly help improve his efficiency at the rim

    • Many of Pettiford’s missed layups come from him trying to get back to his left hand, when a right hand finish would be much easier

• Shot selection- Pettiford sometimes forces looks instead of passing the ball or resetting

  • Another reason Pettiford’s FG% at the rim is relatively low is because he takes highly difficult/contested shots- passing the ball up instead would help improve his efficiency and benefit his teammates

  • Pettiford can get hot at any point in the game, but he still sometimes takes ill-advised shots in hopes to spark his offense

Final Take: Pettiford is one of the most gifted players in the country offensively, as his lethal shooting ability combined with his athleticism and blow-by ability leave defenses scrambling. At the NBA level, his success should continue as long as he improves his finishing at the rim and is more selective with his shots while considering more of a playmaking mindset.

Draft Projection: Mid-to late First Round

Player Comp: Lou Williams/Tyrese Maxey