Auburn's Johni Broome Making First-Round Case with Recent Play

The Auburn forward has been nothing short of dominant this season.

Auburn Tigers forward Johni Broome (4) goes up for a layup as Auburn Tigers take on Purdue Boilermakers at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. Auburn Tigers lead Purdue Boilermakers 41-26 at halftime. / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Auburn forward Johni Broome has been a force this season for the Tigers, a major reason why they are ranked second overall in the nation right now with many arguments that they should be in first. The senior big man and former transfer from Morehead State is one of the most important transfers in Auburn's basketball history, and has them in prime position to compete for a National Championship.

This season, he's averaging a blistering 18.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 56.4% from the field and 59.7% true shooting. He's a physically imposing player at 6-foot-10, 235 pounds, and controls the paint on both ends of the floor. If the season finished today, Broome would have the sixth-highest player efficiency rating in college basketball history at 37.0. For reference, back-to-back National Player of the Year winner Zach Edey had a PER of 39.3 and 40.4, meaning Broome is nearing that level of production.

He has just a single game under 10 points this season, against Georgia State, in which he played only two minutes due to an injury. He leads the Tigers in points, rebounds, assists, and blocks, impacting the game in multiple facets and making a strong case for being the best player in college basketball this season, especially when taking into account team success.

As far as his NBA stock goes, Broome is a fifth-year senior, and while this must be taken into account, it is important to note that Zach Edey was selected last season as a senior and went in the Top 10 of the 2024 NBA Draft. While this year's draft is certainly more competitive at the top, Broome has shown enough this season to warrant a first-round flier. His experience can be valuable at the next level, and he is the type of player that can impact an NBA team off of the bat as a reserve big, and eventually, work his way into a starting lineup.

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