Auburn Tigers Legend Johni Broome’s NBA Draft Journey Suggests a Potential Slide That Few Saw Coming This Spring

Johni Broome, the towering Auburn Tigers star who etched his name into SEC lore with dominant two-way performances, is navigating one of the most unpredictable stretches of his basketball life. Once expected to be a steady second-round selection in the 2024 NBA Draft, Broome’s current trajectory suggests a possible slide—one that is quietly raising eyebrows among scouts, executives, and the Auburn faithful.

Broome’s path to this pivotal moment in his career began not with national spotlight, but with quiet consistency. After transferring to Auburn from Morehead State, he blossomed under Bruce Pearl’s system, becoming one of the nation’s most effective post players. His soft hands, elite timing on blocks, and improved mid-range game turned him into a reliable presence in the Tigers’ frontcourt. Yet as the NBA Draft process unfolded this spring, his stock has experienced more drift than rise, and it’s not due to a lack of production or effort.

The questions circling Broome’s draft profile are nuanced—less about who he is, and more about who NBA teams believe he can become. While Broome averaged 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and over 2 blocks per game in his final college season, scouts continue to debate how those skills will translate to the modern NBA.

One concern is positional fit. At 6-foot-10 with a sturdy 240-pound frame, Broome is a true center. However, in an era where NBA big men are expected to stretch the floor, handle the ball, and defend in space, evaluators wonder whether Broome’s style is a step behind the league’s current tempo. Despite showing flashes of range—he knocked down more threes this past season than in any previous campaign—teams remain hesitant to view him as a consistent pick-and-pop threat or floor spacer at the next level.

Athletically, Broome doesn’t wow in pre-draft workouts. While he’s agile enough to hold his own in drop coverage and occasionally switch onto smaller players, he hasn’t tested off the charts in drills or vertical leap evaluations. In a league hyper-focused on upside, measurables, and burst potential, Broome’s solid—but unspectacular—metrics have led to a cooling of hype surrounding his name.

That said, the intangible traits Broome offers are hard to quantify but deeply valuable. At Auburn, he was a vocal leader, a locker room stabilizer, and a competitor who never shied from high-pressure moments. Against blue-bloods like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama, Broome routinely posted double-doubles and swatted shots like a one-man defensive line. He anchored one of the SEC’s stingiest defenses and was often the emotional heartbeat of Bruce Pearl’s team.

Even so, the pre-draft evaluation process has been somewhat quiet around Broome. He was not invited to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, a notable omission given his resume. Instead, Broome had to rely on team workouts and individual pro days to make his case. By all accounts, he’s performed professionally in these private settings, displaying polished post moves, improved footwork, and a soft shooting touch from 15 feet and out. But he has yet to have a breakout moment that shifts a front office’s perception of his ceiling.

Agents and insiders close to Broome’s camp still maintain optimism. They point to players like Kevon Looney, Xavier Tillman, and Daniel Gafford—centers who fell outside the lottery or even into the second round but carved out meaningful NBA careers through toughness, rebounding, and a team-first mentality. Broome’s versatility, they argue, lies not in stretching the floor with three-pointers, but in his ability to fit multiple defensive schemes and execute offensive roles with discipline.

It’s also worth noting that Broome has taken the draft process seriously in all the right ways. He’s worked out with over a dozen teams, including organizations like the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, and San Antonio Spurs—teams known for extracting value from high-character, fundamentally sound prospects. These franchises are more likely to take a chance on a player like Broome, who might not sell jerseys but can fill an important rotation role over time.

Still, the stark reality is that Broome is facing the prospect of becoming an undrafted free agent or a late second-rounder—far from the lofty projections some had for him a year ago. It’s not an indictment of his game, but a reflection of a changing league that prioritizes elite mobility, three-level scoring, and positionless fluidity.

Auburn fans, understandably, may feel conflicted. On one hand, Broome’s potential slide is a bitter pill—he’s one of the most impactful players in recent school history. On the other hand, his determination, humility, and work ethic suggest he’ll find a way to succeed, regardless of draft night’s outcome. Players with his level of motor and character often become long-term pros, even if their route isn’t straight.

What happens next for Broome may come down to the margins. If he’s picked in the late second round, his landing spot will be crucial. Some teams are willing to develop non-traditional prospects in the G League with patience and structure. Others might bring him in on a two-way contract to give him a chance to prove himself at the next level. And if he does go undrafted, he’ll have his pick of Summer League offers—where undrafted players have launched careers before.

There’s also an international path. With European and Asian leagues increasingly competitive and financially rewarding, Broome could take his talents abroad and return to the NBA later, stronger and more experienced. The likes of Mike James, Patrick Beverley, and P.J. Tucker all honed their craft overseas before becoming household NBA names.

But for now, the focus remains on the 2024 NBA Draft. As Broome and his circle brace for the long wait, they remain confident in the body of work he’s put together. He was a two-time All-SEC player, a defensive juggernaut, and a cornerstone of one of Auburn’s most consistent eras of basketball.

His slide—if it does indeed materialize—will not define his future. For every first-rounder who fizzles out, there’s a player like Broome who grinds, learns, and earns their stripes the hard way. What he lacks in flashy athleticism, he more than compensates for with high-IQ basketball, fundamentals, and the hunger to prove people wrong.

The next few weeks will be telling. Whether he hears his name called late in the second round or must go the undrafted route, one thing is certain: Johni Broome isn’t done. Not by a long shot. And if his Auburn career is any indication, doubting him has never been a wise move.

While the draft process has been anything but ideal, Broome’s resolve is exactly what makes him a sleeper prospect—a guy who may not leap off the page in workouts but who, given the right opportunity, will carve out a niche in the league. From the moment he stepped onto the court for Auburn, Broome embodied heart, grit, and consistency.

Now, as he stands on the threshold of his professional journey, those same qualities may be what carry him through an uncertain draft and into a future defined not by perception, but performance.