For the first time in five years, Johni Broome isn’t playing college basketball.
Broome, who finished the 2024-25 campaign as a National Player of the Year finalist, is in the thick of the NBA Draft process, prepping to hear his name called June 25. But his final three years at the college level were spent with Auburn basketball, including the program’s second Final Four appearance in March.
On Thursday, after a workout with the Golden State Warriors, Broome highlighted what he’d learned from this season and Auburn coach Bruce Pearl. They’re lessons he said he’s putting to work ahead of the draft.
Broome said his biggest takeaway from the season was boasting an NBA-ready rebounding ability.
“I averaged close to 11 rebounds this year, so obviously, rebounding wins basketball games,” he said. “Rebounding gives you more possessions, and it gives guys like Steph Curry (chances) to shoot the ball more.”
The biggest message that remains from Broome’s former coach was simple: “Keep my motor running.”
“That was the thing he always told me to do, just keep my motor running,” Broome said. “Try to play like a 6-4 wing instead of a 7-foot big. Get to lose balls. Just kind of go get the ball, basically.”
Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter. To support Adam’s work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.
