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Bruce Pearl calls Tahaad Pettiford a ‘little shit’ in hilarious press conference exchange
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Bruce Pearl drew some laughs during his postgame press conference after Auburn defeated Michigan in the Sweet 16 on Friday.
Pearl was discussing the relationship Johni Broome has with freshman Tahaad Pettiford. Pettiford has enjoyed a terrific NCAA Tournament, averaging 19.6 points over his last 3 games, including a 20-point effort against the Wolverines.
The Jersey City, N.J. native was on the Tigers’ radar for a while, Pearl noted, eventually leading to him signing with the program. And Pettiford’s development during the season has been thanks in part to the bond he has forged with Broome, a point Pearl made rather humorously.
“I want to give Johni credit in this regard. These guys are best friends, okay? This is a senior in his fifth year. He’s got a lot of other stuff going on. But when it comes to just messing around and having fun, he’s just sort of loving on that little shit. That’s all he’s done,” Pearl said.
That elicited some laughs from Pettiford, Broome, and Denver Jones.
“No, he is. He is a little shit, you know,” Pearl doubled down, with a smile. “And (Broome) has loved on him.”
Jokes aside, whatever’s been happening over the past few weeks has been working, as Pettiford has elevated his already-strong game even further — with the Tigers now a win away from the Final Four.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
