Forward Johni Broome has led the Auburn Tigers to one of the best regular seasons in program history and now has a chance to win the John R. Wooden Award, which is given to the best men’s basketball player in the country each year.
For most of the season, Duke freshman forward Cooper Flagg has been the favorite to win the award, as he has also led his team to a fantastic season. But now, according to ESPN Bet, those odds have tightened.
Could Johni Broome Overtake Cooper Flagg as the Best Player in College Basketball?
The odds have now shifted to Cooper Flagg being -170 to win the award, while Johni Broome has +120 odds to win the award. This is the closest the odds have been all season. But which player deserves it more?
Johni Broome has closed the gap on Cooper Flagg and it looks like the battle for POY will come down to the wire 🏆
🔵 C. Flagg (-170)
🟠 J. Broome (+120) pic.twitter.com/dyo4yO0tvH— ESPN BET (@ESPNBET) February 19, 2025
Starting with team success, both Broome and Flagg are on two of the best teams in the country. Auburn is slightly better than Duke record-wise, with a 23-2 record compared to Duke’s 22-3 record, but the Blue Devils are one of only two teams this season to conquer Bruce Pearl’s squad. Flagg tallied 22 points and 11 rebounds in the victory over the top-ranked team.
Statistically, these two players are pretty even, with Flagg averaging 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, four assists, and one block per game. Meanwhile, Broome averages 18.1 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.7 blocks a game.
Broome is the better defender, while Flagg has the upper hand in terms of all-around offensive talent and production.
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While Broome has been truly amazing this season, I think Flagg still has the upper hand, but it’s possible that down the final stretch this year, Broome could overtake the Duke superstar.
Either way, both these players are special, and it’s been a joy to watch them dominate all season long. While these two have already battled this year, fans will be clamoring for a rematching during March Madness.
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