Ranking the top 8 big men in the East Region
By Josh Yourish
![San Diego State Aztecs forward Jaedon LeDee (13) San Diego State Aztecs forward Jaedon LeDee (13)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4728,h_2659,x_0,y_96/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/184/01hs972mbqz7350r6jc9.jpg)
Junior. Johni Broome. player. Johni Broome. 2. 525. . . 6'10" 240 lbs. Johni Broome
Bruce Pearl goes 10-deep at Auburn, so Broome only averages about 25 minutes a game, but when Auburn needs a big bucket, the Tigers go to their superstar center. Broome was a First-Team All-SEC selection and led the conference Tournament champs in scoring at 16.2 points a game. Broome has also been named a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award after averaging 2.3 blocks and just under a steal a game.
Auburn is the only team in the country to rank inside the top 10 in both adjusted defensive and offensive efficiency. Broome is the biggest reason for that balance and the dominance that the Tigers displayed in Nashville, serving as a rim protector on defense and the focal point on offense.
Pearl likes his team to play fast and Broome is capable in transition, both with the ball in his hands and as a rim-runner, but his value shows up most in the half-court where the Tigers routinely allow him to operate out of the post. He’s an excellent passer out of double-teams and can dominate one-on-one matchups, routinely getting back to his dominant left hand to finish. When Broome has it going, there isn't much you can do to slow him down.
Auburn plays a style that requires a deep bench and the Tigers have plenty of offensive firepower, but on another team in the SEC, Broome could have led the conference in scoring and pushed Dalton Knecht for Conference Player of the Year.