There is no doubt that the Philadelphia 76ers won in the 2025 NBA Draft by the mere fact that they went ahead and selected VJ Edgecombe out of Baylor with the third overall pick. After just one Summer League game, he quickly proved that Daryl Morey and his crew made the right decision to go with him, making the front office look like geniuses along the way.
But having said that, the 76ers still had some naysayers about their draft slate, and no, it is not about Edgecombe. Philly took big man Johni Broome with their lone second-round pick in the draft, and right from the get-go, a lot of people already did not like that selection.
Broome, who profiled as more of an under-the-rim scorer and a more traditional post operator, was seen as a dangling fit in a 76ers front court already sorely missing reliable floor-spacers. That has been exacerbated by the untimely departure of Guerschon Yabusele, thanks to the front office lowballing him in free agency.
However, the incoming freshman looks like he is out to prove the doubters wrong.
Johni Broome gave the 76ers a pleasant surprise with his three-point shot
During Philly’s first game in the Summer League in Salt Lake City which ended in a tight loss, Edgecombe stole the spotlight with his brilliant all-around play. But the solid debut of Broome should not just be glossed over, especially with respect to the flashes he showed as a potential floor-spacing big.
Broome swished two of his four three-point tries in 24 minutes of gameplay, showcasing a versatile offensive game that could definitely make the team quickly forget about Yabusele. But more importantly, this is an encouraging sign for the 22-year-old big man’s chances of being in the team’s plans beyond this season.
Back in college, three-point shooting was not really Broome’s forte. Outside of the 2023-24 circuit when he drained 35.4 percent of his threes, he shot under 30 percent from downtown. It was a work in progress, and his limited attempts reflect that.
Of course, the sample size is way too small to deem Broome as a bona fide floor-spacer, but his Summer League debut has proven that he can certainly develop that more modern part of his repertoire. And if he can double-down on being a threat from the perimeter, that will only bolster his case to even crack the rotation in the upcoming season. Even better, the Philadelphia 76ers will be able to silence the skeptics.