Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Auburn’s Johni Broome have made the Wooden Award a two-horse race down the stretch, each leading two of the top title contenders in the country. But while both sit atop the men’s college basketball world, their paths to this point couldn’t be more different.
Broome finished high school as the 471st-ranked player in the class of 2020 and the 79th-ranked center, according to 247 Sports. He had a few college offers, including Bryant and Jacksonville, before signing with Morehead State midway through his senior year of high school.
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Flagg received his first DI offer from Bryant in the eighth grade, and, as most know, he finished high school as the unanimous No. 1 recruit across all sites with his pick of the litter of schools, ultimately signing with Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils in October 2023.
When Broome was a sophomore in high school, he was riding the bench for his varsity team, fighting for minutes. When Flagg was a sophomore, he became the youngest ever to win the USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year award.
Broome wasn’t expected to start in his first year at Morehead State, but a season-ending injury to center Tyzhaun Claude bumped Broome up the ladder. He made an immediate impact, averaging 13.8 points, nine rebounds and two blocks for the Eagles. He went on to win Ohio Valley Conference freshman of the year in 2020-21.
Before Flagg even donned a Duke jersey, he was training with the USA Basketball Men’s Olympic Team, holding his own against the likes of Anthony Davis, Devin Booker and Bam Adebayo as a 17-year-old. He was the first collegian chosen to be a part of the USA Basketball Men’s Select Team in over a decade.
Cooper Flagg is going OFF
(via @BenGolliver) pic.twitter.com/tgVJQ2EuYB
— Zion O. (@DukeNBA) July 8, 2024
Broome blossomed with Morehead State, making another jump his sophomore season where he averaged 16.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and a ridiculous 3.9 blocks per game. His talent was undeniable, and top DI coaches were taking notice. After finishing high school outside the top 400, Broome entered the portal as the 13th overall transfer and second-ranked center on 247 sports.
BOOM! Auburn gets one of the top transfers available in Johni Broome.
The 6-10 big man averaged 16.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks per game last season at Morehead State and brings an elite post game to Auburn: pic.twitter.com/cjc6bT6rCu
— Jay Phillips (@aubawn) April 30, 2022
Now, two years later, Broome had his own pick of schools, and Bruce Pearl needed a replacement for big men Walker Kessler and Jabari Smith. It was a perfect fit, and Broome didn’t lose a step, averaging 14.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks as a junior with the Tigers in 2023-24.
Today, each is looking to make history in their own way — Broome, to be the first fifth-year senior to take home the Wooden Award, and Flagg, just the fourth freshman. One was never expected to get to this point, and the other, trying to live up to lofty expectations, but both vying to lead their programs to a national championship.
On April 11, one will take home the award while the other applauds, but there is a lot of basketball to be played before then. For now, we wait and see if one of the two can take home the biggest trophy of all as the madness unfolds.
Stat comparison
*all stats are through March 5, 2025
| Johni Broome | Stat | Cooper Flagg |
|---|---|---|
| 18.0 | Points/game | 19.6 |
| 10.7 | Rebounds/game | 7.5 |
| 3.3 | Assists/game | 4.2 |
| 0.8 | Steals/game | 1.6 |
| 2.4 | Blocks/game | 1.2 |
| 50.4% | FG% | 49.7% |
