Auburn forward Johni Broome emerged as one of the top players in college basketball last season, earning All-American and SEC Player of the Year honors starring for a Bruce Pearl-led Tigers team that made just its second Final Four in program history.
In his fifth and final season of college basketball, Broome averaged 18.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. He finished as runner-up in National Player of the Year honors behind Duke‘s Cooper Flagg, who will be the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Pearl however believes that nobody had a better year in college basketball last season than Broome, he revealed on Andy Katz’s “The Sidelines with Andy Katz” podcast.
“Johni Broome wasn’t the best player in college basketball last year and the [NBA] Draft will probably point that out in terms of being a pro prospect, but nobody had a year in college basketball like Johni Broome,” Pearl said. “Nobody affected winning more than Johni Broome. Every level, whether it be high school coming out of Tampa Catholic or being overlooked in AAU basketball or having to go to Morehead State first instead of the SEC or ACC first coming out of Florida. “
Pearl says Broome’s NBA future depends on team
“And he was too slow at Auburn and he wasn’t gonna be able to move his feet quicker or be a good athlete [Pearl said while mocking his doubters], and all he did was become All-League his first year, All-American his second year and National Player of the Year in his third year.”
Broome, who turns 23 in July, is currently projected to be drafted by the New York Knicks with the No. 50 overall pick in On3’s latest NBA Mock Draft.
“He’s not gonna get drafted high. He’s probably not gonna get drafted in the first round. He might maybe the right team. And so again he’s just gonna have to prove them wrong. He’s an elite passer, he’s an elite scorer, he’s an unbelievable kid and he’s a great teammate. He just knows he’s got it. He just knows how to play. Is he a freaky athlete? No. But he’s affective, and the right team that needs a piece and a guy that can play right away as a backup stretch-five man. If he goes to the right team, he’ll do good in the NBA.
When it comes to Broome’s future, we’ll have to wait and see where he ends up. Wherever it may be however, Bruce Pearl will always be his No. 1 supporter.
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