3 things to know about the Tigers' All-America hopeful

Through 13 games, it is abundantly clear that the best player in college basketball this season resides in the “Loveliest Village on the Plains.”

Auburn basketball’s Johni Broome, the All-American big man who helped the Tigers fight their way through one of the most productive non-conference slates in program history, started the 2024-25 season on a breakout note and hasn’t slowed down. He finished non-conference play averaging a double-double, with 18.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.9 blocks – all team highs. And it’s not just the statistics that speak for Broome.

After the Tigers’ win over North Carolina on Maui, UNC head coach Hubert Davis said he was the best player on the field, “and it wasn’t even close.” Purdue coach Matt Painter asked before the Tigers’ win over the Boilermakers an undecided comparison between Broome and the two-time national player of the year Zach Edey. And after Auburn’s win over Houston, Kelvin Sampson said Broome should show people “why he’s a first-team All-American.”

So if you’re still wondering who Broome is, here are three things you should know about the touted tiger.

Auburn basketball’s Johni Broome wasn’t particularly recruited in high school

Before he was an All-American and early favorite to win National Player of the Year, Broome came from humble beginnings at Tampa Catholic (Florida) High School.

Now 6-foot-1, he is a 6-8 power forward prospect who is rated a three-star recruit by both 247Sports and Rivals. The latter gave Broome no more than a star rating and 247 ranked him as the 471st best player in the 2020 recruiting class.

He was named the 2019-20 Hillsborough County Player of the Year, but that didn’t do much for his prospects. According to his recruiting pages, he had offers from just three Division I programs: Bryant, Jacksonville and Morehead State.

Johni Broome began his college basketball career as a mid-major star

Of his three Division I offers, Broome chose the Eagles, and in his two seasons in the Ohio Valley Conference he grew both in stature and as a player.

Broome grew two inches during his first season, and in his two years the Eagles posted a 46-19 record and reached the NCAA Tournament. They finished in the OVC’s top three both seasons, and Broome was their leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker both times.

In two seasons, Broome averaged 15.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game. He was a two-time All-OVC honoree and was named OVC Newcomer of the Year and conference tournament MVP as a freshman. In his sophomore season, he posted averages of 16.5, 10.8 and 3.9 – the final mark leading the OVC and third-best in the NCAA. He was also named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year that season.

Why Johni Broome presents himself as the best player in the nation

Broome is playing the best he has ever played. His points, rebounds and assists averages are the highest of his career, and his turnover average (1.2) is the best of his career by half a turnover.

Breaking News

Dellupodisabato

3 things to know about the Tigers’ All-America hopeful

Leave a Reply Cancel reply