Are you watching the NBA Summer League because of Johni Broome? Join the club.
Johni Broome made his official NBA debut this past Saturday against the Jazz. As a native Georgian and Auburn fan for my entire 35 year life, I never thought I'd be tuning into a Philadelphia 76ers game, much less during the Summer league. I'll be damned if I haven't started eyeing at 76ers hats, too.
Outside of the city of Brotherly Love, there's something else I'm not used to: not caring whether MY team wins or loses. It's summer league, probably the most inconsequential games I'll watch this year. I just want to see Johni play well.
I figured I was done with the likes of Walter Clayton Jr. and his circus shots. Now playing for the Jazz, Clayton Jr. went 3-8 from the floor with 9 points and a team-leading 6 assists in 25 minutes on Saturday. Broome logged 24 minutes on the court shooting 4-11 with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block. He looked confident shooting the three-ball early on.
Another "friendly" face appeared on Monday with the 76ers' matchup against the Thunder. Chris Youngblood, former guard for the Alabama Crimson Tide, took to the court for OKC and made a strong impression, scoring 15 points in 22 minutes played. Broome continued to show his range, knocking down two threes and grabbing 4 rebounds in 24 minutes of action.
It's hard to succeed in the NBA. Johni's chips are stacked against him, and his detractors are watching. Ever since the combine, people have wanted to see him fail - likely because he bullied the hell out of their college basketball program for the past three years.
That said, Broome is currently shooting 29% from three which is certainly not elite but it is encouraging for a rookie who can go to work in the paint as well. The versatility he showed while wearing an Auburn jersey has not been lost on the folks watching these games. He's contributing with steals, blocks, and contested shots. The Auburn faithful know his basketball IQ and his vision is through the roof.
If you are like me and missing Auburn basketball, I encourage you to tune in tomorrow, July 10th, as Broome takes on the Spurs at 10:00pm EST.
Stay tuned for more Auburn basketball news and to see how our stars progress through the summer league and into the NBA careers.
