ATLANTA – Auburn senior All-American center/forward Johni Broome (Plant City, Fla.) earned a spot on the 2025 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year presented by MOLECULE Watch List as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Wednesday.
One of the nation’s top players on the No. 1-ranked team in the country, Broome is currently averaging a double-double of 18.2 points per game (second in the SEC) and 10.9 rebounds per game (first in the SEC). He also ranks among the Top 5 nationally in double-doubles (5th, 13) and blocks per game (5th, 2.75 avg.). Broome was ranked No. 1 in offensive efficiency by KenPom.com this season and rated the No. 1 player in the country by Evan Miya and KenPom.com.
The two-time All-SEC selection was joined on the short list by Adrian “Ace” Baldwin Jr. of Penn State, Lamont Butler of Kentucky, Cooper Flagg of Duke, Hayden Gray of UC San Diego, Ryan Kalkbrenner of Creighton, Tamin Lipsey of Iowa State, Jahmai Mashack of Tennessee, Cameron Matthews of Mississippi State, Stevie Mitchell of Marquette, Clifford Omoruyi of Alabama, Jayden Quaintance of Arizona State, Kadary Richmond of St. John’s, Joseph Tugler of Houston and Zakai Zeigler of Tennessee.
Former Auburn All-American big man Walker Kessler won the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2022.