Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Auburn Tigers forward Johni Broome (4) holds the ball against the Florida Gators during the second 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

NBA Draft Expert Praises Sixers' Second-Round Selection

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 11:35 PM ET

Roughly 24 hours after taking VJ Edgecombe with the No. 3 pick, the Philadelphia 76ers found themselves on the clock again in the 2025 NBA Draft. After taking a high-upside prospect in round one, they opted to take a more polished player in round two.

With the No. 35 pick, the Sixers selected big man Johni Broome. He is one of the older prospects in this class, having spent five years in college. Broome is coming off a senior season at Auburn, where he was arguably one of the top talents in college basketball. Across 36 appearances, he averaged 18.6 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 2.9 APG, and 2.1 BPG.

During Bleacher Report's live coverage of the second round, draft expert Jonathan Wasserman gave his thoughts on the Sixers' latest selection. He gave them a favorable grade, citing that the versatile big man will be a positive presence on and off the court.

"But listen, Philly I think just really wanted an NBA player," Wasserman said. "Broome is an absolute leader. I'm going to give this a B+, I can't be mad about this pick. He's going to come in and he;s going to bring maturity. He's not going to feel like a rookie on this team, and we've seen his skill level really exapnd over the last handful of years since transferring to Auburn."

For the second year in a row, the Sixers are taking a flier on a big man in the second round. It worked out well for them last time around, as Adem Bona showed nice flashes as a rookie. Now, the front office is hoping Broome can yield similar positive results playing behind former MVP Joel Embiid.