The Philadelphia 76ers will always look at the 2025 NBA Draft as endearingly as they could, simply because that was what allowed them to usher in VJ Edgecombe, who has looked the part as a future cornerstone for the franchise. However, the same cannot be said for Johni Broome, their other draft pick, who has been completely MIA so far for the team.
It is way too early to make an indictment, but the decision to draft Broome was always quite the head-scratched. That is more so the case given that Maxime Raynaud, whom the Kings selected seven spots after the former, has already flourished as someone Sacramento can build with or around for the foreseeable future.
Raynaud was always projected to be a first-rounder, so the fact that he fell all the way to the 42nd pick was a huge surprise during the draft. The 76ers, in dire need of more bodies at the center position at the time, could have easily taken him with their 35th overall selection. Instead, they went with a more traditional option in Broome, who has otherwise drawn mixed reviews thus far.
The 76ers could have drafted Maxime Raynaud instead of Johni Broome
The Frenchman has quickly found his footing in Sacramento despite his ball club having the worst record in the entire association. He is third among all rookies in rebounds per game, and he has become a smooth operator down low despite his low usage on offense.
On the other hand, Broome has been stuck with the Delaware Blue Coats in the G-League. The 76ers drafted him as some sort of a depth insurance at the big man position, but for now, it is clear that he is not on the team’s immediate plans just yet. It could take another year or two before he even sniffs a consistent role in Philly.
Call it an opportunity deficit, but if Broome was as good as Raynaud, he would have already usurped the likes of Andre Drummond and Adem Bona in the rotation. Instead, even with Joel Embiid out, he still has not gotten any run of some sort. That would not have happened if Raynaud took his place.
Again, with Edgecombe around, the 76ers will not have their faces plastered with regret when talking about the 2025 NBA Draft. But missing out on Raynaud through a deliberate omission on their part has got to hurt, especially since the one they drafted ahead of him seems to be two years away from being two years away.