Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Auburn Tigers forward Johni Broome (4) drives to the basket against Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu (9) during the first half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Draft Expert Grades 76ers’ No. 35 Selection

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Eric Jay Santos | Last updated Jun 29, 2025 12:30 PM ET

On Thursday, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Johni Broome with the No. 35 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. For the 2024-2025 college season, Broome averaged 18.6 points and 10.8 rebounds over 36 games for Auburn.

Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey assigned a B grade to the 76ers for selecting Broome. Bailey noted that Broome is entering the NBA relatively late compared to others in his draft class.

“Broome was one of the best players in college basketball this past season, but that may not mean a ton for his NBA outlook. The production is encouraging, and the skills are obvious, but with his 23rd birthday fast approaching, he's kind of already racing against the clock in terms of development. That means the jumper that scouts hoped he might have by now may never come around, which ups the pressure for everything else to translate. It just might, but he won't overwhelm anyone with size or explosiveness, and there are questions about his defensive fit, even though he plays hard on that end.”

Bailey suggested that the 22-year-old center may be a good fit for Philadelphia, as the team may benefit from having a more experienced rookie backup behind Joel Embiid.

“For the Philadelphia 76ers, that bit of extra experience might actually be a good thing. As long as Paul George and Joel Embiid are on the roster, they need win-now players. And given Embiid’s struggles to stay on the floor, Broome might even need to play early in his career. Don’t expect a massive impact right now, but Broome’s feel for the game could help Philly remain competitive when the stars are out.”

While Broome likely won’t emerge as a key player immediately, various analysts consider him to be a solid second-round choice. With a win-now mentality, the 76ers should prioritize players that can support a playoff push.