76ers Draft CBB Star Johni Broome in 2nd Round, Excite Fans with NBA-Ready Game

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is one of the best players in the NBA when healthy, but staying on the court has famously been an issue.

The Sixers added an insurance policy on Thursday night during the second round of the NBA drafted, selecting Auburn big man Johni Broome with the No. 36 overall pick.

Fans and pundits liked that selection for Philly:

While Broome makes sense for the Sixers as a potential plug-and-play option off the bench, he will divide some opinion regarding his overall upside.

The B/R NBA Staff compared him to Markieff Morris and Taj Gibson and noted that Broom "is not a clear 4 or 5, he lacks elite athleticism, and he may struggle guarding in space. He's also not a lob threat or reliable spacer. Still, while his ceiling won't match the heights it did in college, he has the tools to carve out a career as a reliable, physical backup with an overall plus skill set."

Broome is a very good passer and should be a solid rebounder and rim-protector at the NBA level. He'll contribute defensively right away, and if his jump shot improves he could be a plus option on the offensive end as well.

The Sixers now have a number of options on the block behind Embiid. Broome and Adem Bona will provide younger options, while Andre Drummond could return on his $5 million player option (though he's a candidate to be traded).

And then there is Guerschon Yabusele, who is more of a 4 but occasionally played center in small-ball lineups for the Sixers last season. It remains to be seen if Philadelphia will be able to retain both Quentin Grimes and Yabusele in free agency, however, with the former likely earning priority status between the two.

Within that context, adding Broome makes even more sense. There will be questions about his upside, no doubt, but his immediate fit is hard to ignore.