NEW YORK — As a child, Johni Broome dreamed of being drafted into the NBA. That dream came true Thursday night when the Philadelphia 76ers selected the Auburn standout with the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Although he had to wait until Day 2 to hear his name, Broome was thrilled.
“This is probably the most exciting moment of my life,” he said. “Every kid dreams of this — getting drafted, hearing your name, putting on the team hat. It still feels unreal.”
The second round resumed Thursday at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center — this time using a smaller venue section than Wednesday’s first round. The round began with a flurry of trades, including the Phoenix Suns acquiring the No. 31 pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves and selecting Rasheer Fleming.
Minnesota still made the 31st selection, but had agreed to trade the pick to Phoenix earlier in the day. Fleming, who had returned to the arena for a second night, found out about the trade shortly before being selected.
“It’s been a long day, and everything happened so fast,” said Fleming, a forward from Saint Joseph’s who averaged 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks last season. “It’s a wild, amazing experience.”
Notable second-round picks included Broome; Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, taken 34th by the Hornets; and Kam Jones of Marquette, picked 38th by the Spurs but whose rights were sent to the Indiana Pacers. Charlotte also selected Sion James at 33, while Cleveland picked Tyrese Proctor at 49, making all five Duke starters from last season officially drafted.
The Mavericks, who picked Cooper Flagg first overall on Wednesday, had no second-round picks but considered trading in.
The Orlando Magic made a move, acquiring French forward Noah Penda (No. 32) from Boston in exchange for picks 46, 57, and future second-rounders. Penda, 6’8” and 225 lbs, brings defensive flexibility and averaged 10.3 points and 5.5 rebounds last season in France.
The Lakers also made a trade, acquiring Adou Thiero (No. 36) from Minnesota for the 45th pick and cash. The cash element means the Lakers must stay below the league’s second luxury tax apron.
The NBA introduced the two-night draft format last year to avoid late finishes. While teams appreciate the break between rounds for analysis, some players dislike the wait, especially those who hoped to go in the first round.
This year’s draft had 59 picks — one short — because the Knicks lost a second-rounder as punishment for tampering with Jalen Brunson’s signing in 2022.
Still, second-rounders have proven they can thrive. The league often cites stars like Nikola Jokic and Jalen Brunson as evidence. Broome hopes to join that list.
He was the runner-up for AP Men’s National Player of the Year behind Flagg and believes minor injuries late in the season may have hurt his combine performance.
Broome has been confident in his ability since holding his own against Kentucky while at Morehead State. Now, he looks forward to joining Joel Embiid and the 76ers.
“I can’t wait for my first day in Philly,” Broome said.
