Johni Broome has an uphill climb to getting full NBA Draft respect.
The Auburn superstar stayed in college a long time and is a bit of an old-school big man in a basketball world that doesn’t value his skillset as much any more.
He also didn’t help his cause with his vertical leap at the NBA Draft Combine.
Broome jumped 24.5-inches, which would be great for most humans but not for most NBA players.
Even worse is the stat that quickly circulated on social media.
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Florida’s Desmond Watson, who was 464 pounds at the time of his Pro Day before the NFL Draft, had a vertical leap of 25 inches.
Broome is 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds, for reference.
To be fair to Broome, the 6-foot-6 Watson (who is now down to 437 pounds with the Buccaneers) would probably be a monster on the low block.
But athleticism is definitely something Broome will want to find a way to show teams in private workouts before the draft.
Jumping isn’t the basketball be all and end all, especially for the tallest, longest players on the court. But it’s still a good skill to have.
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