March Madness: Breaking Down Auburn’s Top Prospects Auburn has three potential draft picks on their roster this season. What are their strengths and areas of improvement?
The Auburn Tigers dominated the SEC, and have looked very good throughout the NCAA Tournament.
Auburn through four games in the tournament have won by an average of 12.75 points per game. They have a very experienced team and have the oldest starting five remaining in the tournament out of the four remaining teams.
They have three potential draft picks in the 2025 NBA Draft between Johni Broome, Tahaad Pettiford and Chad Baker-Mazara. Let’s dive into their strengths and areas of improvement:
Johni Broome | Big
Broome has been one of the best players in all of college basketball and has dominated on both ends of the floor throughout the entire season. The 6-foot-10 big man has been a double-double machine all season. In his previous game versus Michigan State he had a double-double by halftime. The physical big man uses his strength and tools to get second chance scoring opportunities.
Broome also does a good job at scoring in the low post and utilizing his left hook when he gets two feet in the paint. An underrated part of his game is his passing ability. Broome is a smart passer out of post-up situations and even out of the short roll. He’s one of the better passing big men in all of college basketball.
Defensively he’s a great rim protector as he averaged 2.1 blocks per game which has him 21st in the entire country. The fifth year senior does a good job as a pick and roll defender as he wins with his great feel and defensive instincts. The biggest question is how he translates to the NBA and what his elite skill will be, but the versatility is evident for the big man. Broome is a potential first round pick in this year’s draft.
Tahaad Pettiford | Point Guard
Pettiford is a freshman lead guard that comes off the bench for Auburn but is comfortably one of the most skilled players not only on this team, but in all of college basketball. He’s very shifty with the ball in his hands and creates space off the dribble effortlessly. The smooth lefty is a tough shot-maker that has great shot-creation tools.
His scoring ability is what pops the most for Pettiford as he has the ability to score from all over the floor. The majority of his shots come from behind the arc but he also can do some damage inside the arc. The 6-foot-1 freshman is very flashy and creative with the ball which is what makes him a very good and exciting playmaker. He’s more of a scoring first point guard but he can also create for others when the opportunity is there.
Defensively he’s a bit limited to his thin frame and lack of overall size. He won’t be switchable at the next level. The overall offensive package he possesses is why some scouts believe NBA teams should take a second round swing pick on him, but if he returns to college he could very well be a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Chad Baker-Mazara | Wing
The 6-foot-7 super senior Baker-Mazara is the oldest player remaining in the NCAA Tournament, but he’s still a prospect to be taken seriously. As of right now his best skill is his elite defensive skills. He does a great job of being disruptive and very annoying on the defensive end as he often is able to take opposing teams out of their offensive flow due to his tenacity, great energy and elite defensive instincts.
Auburn’s wing has the ability to defend up and down a lineup with ease making him their most impactful player on the defensive end. Offensively he’s a good shooter that plays with a ton of confidence. He can shoot off the dribble or off the catch. His passing ability often goes underrated but he certainly has some flare to his game on the offensive end. Baker-Mazara has endless confidence and it shows.
The biggest question is around his age and overall offensive creation upside. He’s not a great on-ball creator and he’s 25 years of age so he has nearly reached his ceiling physically and talent wise. Overall he’s your typical second round swing pick due to his elite NBA skill and other intangibles he does well.
