With the fifth pick in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft and the 35th selection overall, the Philadelphia 76ers drafted Johni Broome from Auburn University. In doing so, they gained likely the best offensive rebounder in the entire draft class.
Don't believe me? Just ask ESPN's Jeremy Woo, who ranked Broome as the top offensive rebounder in the 2025 class. Even though he ended up as a second-round pick, many believed Broome to be a first-round level talent.
And regardless of your view of him, there's no question that his skillset is something that's going to be valuable in Philadelphia from day one. During the 2024-25 season, the Sixers ranked 22nd in the association in offensive rebounds per game, as well as in offensive rebounding percentage.
Clearly, this is an area Philly can improve in, no matter how many injuries they suffered in the last eight months. Joel Embiid is obviously an excellent rebounder that's going to average double figures in that category every season that he's mostly healthy. But that doesn't mean the 76ers should be okay with him shouldering such a large load of the work in that department. Not to mention how much harder things become when number 21 is sidelined.
Johni Broome is a terrific offensive rebounder
Andre Drummond is still an above-average rebounder twelve years into his professional career. And although he's probably going to be back in a Sixers uniform, Philadelphia still needs some new blood in their frontcourt. Broome should prove to be an excellent pick, and a great fit for what this team needs.
What makes the Auburn prospect such a valuable player isn't just that he's a rock-solid rebounder. It's the fact that he's smart enough to time his process perfectly, and he does it all while hustling his tail off. He possesses top-tier instincts and feel for the game on top of using his strength well.
In the college ranks, Broome was an incredibly consistent scorer on the interior. Defensively, he's a fantastic shot-blocker, and he helped to anchor one of the best defenses in his conference. These are skills that I believe are going to translate to the professional level rather quickly.
Overall, Philadelphia 76ers fans should be feeling good about this pick. It was a great value selection at 35, and Johni Broome will help make life easier for the franchise's best player.