Auburn center Broome returning for last season

Jeff Borzello, ESPN

• Personnel WriterApr 17, 2024, 09:19 PM ET Close Basketball recruiting expert.
• Joined ESPN in 2014.
• Graduate of University of Delaware.Auburn star center Johni Broome is going back to the Tigers for his last season, he revealed Wednesday, placing himself to open next season as a preseason All-American. Broome wasn’t a lock to be picked in June’s NBA draft, and he still had one year of college eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.A 6-foot-10 Florida native, Broome has been among the very best frontcourt players in the SEC considering that showing up

  from Morehead State two years ago. He was a second-team All-SEC choice in 2022-23 after averaging 14.2 points and 8.4 rebounds, however took his game to a brand-new level this past season, installing 16.5 points and 8.6 rebounds.Editor’s Picks 1 Associated He was called to the All-SEC first-team and the league’s All-Defensive team, and won SEC competition MVP after leading the Tigers to the conference tournament title.Broome made third-team All-American honors; with at least 4 first-teamers and 2 second-team selections either out of eligibility or going to the NBA draft, Broome could end up as a preseason first-team pick next fall.He began his career at Morehead State, earning first-team All-Ohio Valley honors in both seasons and winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. Auburn, which completed second in the SEC and won the conference competition before suffering an upset loss as a 4-seed in the NCAA competition, is now highly likely to be ranked in the next update of ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25. The Tigers lost guards Aden Holloway, Tre Donaldson and KD Johnson to the transfer portal, however Bruce Pearl landed Furman transfer J.P. Pegues and now has his anchor back up front in Broome.