What they’re saying about Sixers second-round pick Johni Broome: ‘He gets things done’
Jay Bilas, Michael Levin, and more react to the Sixers drafting Johni Broome with their second-round pick.
After the Sixers drafted Auburn’s Johni Broome, the 6-foot-10 post player posed on stage with NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum as a photo of Charles Barkley was shown on the screen behind them. Thursday’s draft marked the second time in history an Auburn player was selected by Philadelphia. The first was in 1984 when the Sixers drafted Barkley with the fifth overall pick.
Although Barkley went much higher in the draft compared to Broome, the 11-time NBA All-Star had nothing but great things to say about the athlete. According to the Montgomery Advertiser, Barkley said Broome is the best player in Auburn history during CBS’ studio coverage of the Final Four.
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“I want to give my love to Bruce Pearl and my Auburn Tigers,” Barkley said. “I want to say Johni Broome is the greatest basketball player in Auburn history, and I can’t wait to go down there and retire his jersey. He’s been great for the school. He’s the best player in Auburn history … He’s taken the throne, man.”
Last season, the 22-year-old averaged 18.6 points and 10.8 rebounds — earning Sporting News Player of the Year and SEC Player of the Year — before his career as a Tiger concluded after the program’s second Final Four appearance. Now, Broome is ready to begin his career with the Sixers.
“He was dominant in the Southeastern Conference,” said basketball analyst Jay Bilas after Broome was drafted. “In fact, he was the player of the year who led Auburn to the Final Four this last season.
“Shoots 66% at the rim, excellent on post-ups, and he’s fantastic on the offensive glass. … He may not be an above-the-rim big guy, but he carves out space and he gets things done. Really productive player that has been overlooked before and has come through.”
Broome will join VJ Edgecombe, who was selected with the third overall pick on Wednesday, as the new players on the Sixers roster. Philly fans are already analyzing how the young players will impact the team next season, including cohost of the Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast, Michael Levin.
“He produced at a massive level,” Levin said. “He was very, very close to winning national player of the year at Auburn … He rebounded the everloving [expletive] out of the ball on the defensive end and on the offensive end. He’s got a high feel for the game because he can pass. As a big man, he moves the ball really well and he’s, I would say, not a primary rim protector but as a weak-side shot blocker, really skilled at that as well.”
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In terms of grading, NBC Sports, Bleacher Report, and USA Today gave the pick a B. Meanwhile, Yahoo Sports graded the pick with a B+.
“Could Broome be the best backup center of the Joel Embiid era?” asked Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports. “Perhaps so, because he brings a ready-made game as an interior finisher with a passing feel and tone-setting defense. Though his jumper hasn’t progressed as much as NBA teams would hope, Embiid’s ability to space the floor could make for intriguing two-big lineups this season. In Philadelphia, it’s more important that he progresses moving laterally on the perimeter.”