In their latest two-round 2025 NBA Mock Draft, Sports Illustrated has the Milwaukee Bucks selecting Auburn's Johni Broome. Although his collegiate resume is undoubtedly impressive, Broome might not be the best fit for Milwaukee due to his skill set.
The Bucks need athletic bigs, and Broome isn't that
Broome has a tremendous list of accomplishments, including three All-SEC nods, SEC Tourney MVP, SEC All-Defense, two-time All-OVC, and many more. A large chunk of those came during his final two seasons at Auburn, where he really took off. It's those accolades that will have teams eyeing him in the weeks leading up to the NBA Draft.
While he's a seasoned, accomplished big man, Broome isn't the best fit for the Milwaukee Bucks due to his lack of athleticism. Getting more athletic and mobile should be a point of emphasis for a team that struggled due to a lack of those things this past season. Adding Broome would only worsen the problem further.
The 6-foot-10 big man is not the most agile on his feet. Just like with Brook Lopez, problems could arise when opposing ball-handlers drag him out to the perimeter. In today's NBA, big men have to be able to switch onto smaller players and hold their own. If they can't, they might end up on the bench like Brook Lopez did in the NBA Playoffs.
The lack of athleticism could be somewhat forgiven if Broome was a stout perimeter shooter, but he is not. He shot just 62-of-205 (30.2 percent) from long range during his five college seasons, doing a good chunk of his damage right at the hoop. That could make him a clunky fit on offense alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, who thrives when playing in space with other athletes.
Despite the holes in his game, Broome could certainly be an impactful piece at the next level. For his college career, he averaged 16.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. He does most of his damage when he's in the interior, whether that is with his scoring, rebounding, or defending the hoop. Some team could certainly use him, but the Milwaukee Bucks may look to turn over a new leaf.
If they keep the pick, it seems unlikely that the Milwaukee Bucks use it on a big men. This class is full of late-round wings who possess captivating athletic ability, so it's much more likely they lean in that direction.
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