NCAA Basketball: Duke, Kentucky among the 8 finalists for transfer Johni Broome

While several teams on this list for Broome has pending decisions involving their respective starting centers, Auburn knows it has to replace Walker Kessler. As great as freshman Jabari Smith was this past season, Kessler was arguably the best defender in NCAA Basketball, winning SEC Defensive Player of the Year and leading the country in total blocks.

Broome was third in that category and the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year in his own right. The SEC is a step up in competition but the Tigers already an OVC transfer on the roster in Wendell Green Jr., who made a successful transition from Eastern Kentucky to Auburn to average 12.0 ppg and 5.1 apg this past season.

The Tigers recently landed five-star power forward prospect Yohan Traore for the roster but still needs to add a center. Broome would be a perfect replacement for Kessler and the defense would stay the same, while the offense could potentially take a jump at the five-spot. And while Auburn does bring back some good guards, the offense for them won’t be as guard-heavy as Houston. Plus, playing in the SEC would be a bigger platform than the AAC and be good for his NBA Draft.

Broome played Auburn in the first game of this past season, going for 12 points and eight rebounds. He showed he can produced against one of the best SEC teams this past season and if he picks the Tigers, can show that he can do it on a regular basis. I think that Houston and Auburn makes the most sense if Oscar Tshiebwe comes back to Kentucky and the Tigers, in my eyes, get a slight edge in terms of best potential fit.