Thoughts on Tahaad Pettiford, Danny Wolf, and Johni Broome in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament

March 29th, 2025

Yesterday, I took the time to watch Auburn and Michigan play in a tough, competitive Sweet 16 matchup in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. This featured two high profile big men in Michigan’s 7-0 center, Danny Wolf, and Auburn’s 6-10 big man, Johni Broome, as both players could end up being taken in the first round in the 2025 draft. Both players ended up playing fairly well, but Auburn’s freshman point guard Tahaad Pettiford played especially well down the stretch to get his team the win. Here are my thoughts on how Pettiford, Wolf, Broome, and other various prospects fared in this game, as well as where they may currently stack up as prospects for the NBA.

Auburn’s 6-1 freshman point guard, Tahaad Pettiford scored 20 points, made 2 three-pointers, and had 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in his team’s 78-65 win over Michigan yesterday. (Photo: Brynn Anderson/Associated Press, via The Durango Herald)

Tahaad Pettiford had a strong showing to help lead his team to a double-digit win over Michigan. He did a great job of making shots, and he is a fleet-footed playmaker that made very solid plays on both ends of the floor.

Pettiford did a very good job of knocking down outside shots in this game. He particularly excelled at making pull-up jumpers, and he showed deft footwork and the shooting touch to consistently score on threes and mid-range jumpers. He also thrived as a scorer off the dribble, as he has the foot speed to blow past defenders to consistently score at the rim, and he also showed a knack for scoring on step-back jumpers.

He also displayed perhaps adequate playmaking skills. He is a speedy guard that can make drive and kick passes, and he tended to make good reads n the floor. Sometimes though, he would throw quick, hasty passes that would end up going astray, and he also had a ball poked away from him to commit another turnover.

On the other hand, he did not grab a single rebound in this game. Pettiford defended well. He was able to hustle back to block a shot to prevent an opponent from scoring on the break, and he also was able to get a steal due to possessing good hands, athleticism, timing, and the instincts to do so.

In general, Pettiford played very well, as he was superb down the stretch, especially as a shot maker to help Auburn secure the victory. He did a great job of making plays on offense, especially in the second half, and he is a talented prospect that could end up being a first round pick in the 2025 draft.

Michigan’s 7-0 junior center, Danny Wolf scored 20 points, made 2 threes, and had 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block in his team’s 78-65 loss to Auburn yesterday. (Photo: Brett Davis/Imagn Images, via Athlon Sports)

Danny Wolf had a solid showing in his team’s tough loss to Auburn. He is an agile, very skilled big man that made some eye-popping plays on offense, as he especially excelled as a scorer in the first half.

Wolf did a good job of knocking down threes to provide floor spacing for his team on offense. He was able to make a deep three effortlessly, and he also showed deft footwork to make a step-back three later on. He also showed off a decent ability to score off the dribble. He was particularly effective at going to his left, as he has a better first step to the hoop than advertised, and he is quick for a player his size. On one play, he used a hesitation move to score on a powerful dunk. He also used a nifty spin move to score another time. On the downside, he would tend to take tough, contested shots that would lead to misses.

He also showed a decent ability to score out of the post. He was able to use a spin move to score on a jump hook off the glass. Another time though, he looked to use a drop step move, but ended up getting his shot blocked.

He also excelled at scoring on hustle plays, and Wolf was able to score on a timely tip-in off of an offensive rebound. As a playmaker, Wolf looked to be about average at best in this game. He didn’t show much of his trademark passing skills and he even looked to be indecisive at times, as he ended up being quite turnover prone. For the positives, he showed the ability to find teammates on the move to set up scoring chances for them. However, he would sometimes show a loose handle and commit ball-handling turnovers, and other times he would make careless decisions that would lead to other turnovers.

Wolf was able to get multiple boards on both ends of the floor, but he didn’t get nearly enough rebounds for a player his size. He also defended fairly well. Wolf was able to rotate to block a shot off of a drive out of bounds. He also would be in position to contest shots to force some misses.

In summary, Wolf is a very skilled, mobile center that particularly thrived as a shooter and scorer in this game, but he was too turnover prone in this game, and he didn’t grab enough rebounds when he was on the floor. Still, he is a very skilled big man that has played very well this season, and he projects to be a likely first round pick in the 2025 draft, as he could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.

Auburn’s 6-10 senior, Johni Broome scored 22 points, made a three-pointer, and had 16 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 assist in his team’s 78-65 win over Michigan in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images, via Bleacher Report)

Johni Broome also had a solid showing to help lead his team to a win over Michigan. He consistently made plays on both ends of the floor, and he was able to help his team get key baskets to help his team get the victory.

Broome showed a solid ability to score off the dribble. He has a crafty pump fake, as well as a solid blend of speed, strength, and finishing ability to consistently score at the rim. He also would take on the contact and draw fouls upon his defenders to get to the free throw line. He also excelled at scoring on hustle plays, and he has a very good motor that allows him to score on second chance points off of put backs and tip-ins. He also ran off of a curl cut and dribbled in and used a pump fake to score another time. Plus, he also utilized a jab step to make an open corner three to showcase his shooting skills. He was less effective as a scorer on post-ups, but he was able to spin moves to score a couple of times. However, he had some trouble scoring consistently on jump hooks or on close range shots from the block.

As a playmaker, he looked to be about average at best. Broome is a willing passer that will look to find the open man, and he was able to notch an assist in this game. He also was able to make a crafty wraparound pass to find a teammate around the basket. He also would sometimes set good screens to help his teammates get open driving lanes and jump shots. On the downside, he was quite turnover prone. He tended to over-dribble, which would lead him to commit ball-handling turnovers, and he also would throw hasty, inaccurate passes that would end up going out of bounds.

Broome did a great job of rebounding the basketball. He was excellent at hauling in boards on both ends of the floor, and he has a keen nose for the ball. He also played satisfactory defense in this game. Broome is an active help defender that would intercept errant passes to get steals, and he also would contest shots, particularly when defending opponents off the dribble to force misses. On the downside, sometimes he would struggle to guard quicker players, as he wouldn’t always move his feet well, which would lead him to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Johni Broome played well in his team’s win over Michigan, and he has been a very productive player at the collegiate level. He is a strong, mobile big man that has the skills to be a solid role player at the NBA level, and he would be a good find for an NBA team in the late first to the second round range of the 2025 draft.

Denver Jones also played very well to help Auburn get a big win over Michigan. The 6-4 senior guard did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball to help his team on offense. He showed a knack for making spot-up threes off the catch, and he also dribbled off of a screen to make another three. He also excelled as a scorer off the dribble, as he has the foot speed to split double teams, the handles to use a nifty, behind-the-back dribble move, and he would tend to finish plays around the basket to score on offense.

He also showcased satisfactory playmaking skills. Plus, he also was able to get his fair share of boards to help his team chip in on the glass. He also is an active defender, and he was able to contest a three to force a miss. On the other hand, sometimes he would struggle to defend quicker players, which would lead him to pick up fouls.

Overall, Denver Jones had a strong showing to help his team get the victory, and his athleticism, shot making prowess, and intangibles could enable him to make his way to the NBA someday.

Nimari Burnett had his ups and downs in his team’s loss to Auburn. He is a fleet-footed combo guard that struggled to make shots consistently, but he was able to make some solid plays on both ends of the floor. He was able to score on quick drives to the hoop, and he also made a smooth, step-back three-pointer. Plus, he also cut to the hoop to get the ball, and drove hard to score on a powerful dunk to showcase his athleticism. On the downside, he would also take rushed, contested shots that would lead to misses.

He also showcased satisfactory playmaking skills, and on one play, he pushed the pace and threw an accurate bounce pass to a teammate ahead on the break to set up a score for him. He also rebounded the ball very well. He also played decent defense in this game. Burnett was able to block a corner three to a teammate, and he is an active help defender that will look to contest shots and play passing lanes. On one play though, he was called for fouling an opponent on a mid-range shot, although his opponent didn’t get continuation that time.

Overall, Burnett is an athletic, skilled combo guard that didn’t have his best game, but he showed off a variety of skills that could be intriguing to NBA teams. He’ll need to be a more consistent shooter in games and will need to show NBA teams that he can reliably run the point, but his athleticism and shot making abilities could enable him to make it to the NBA someday.

Vladislav Goldin had his ups and downs in his team’s loss to Auburn. He was inconsistent as a scorer off the dribble as well as out of the post, but he showed the ability to make spin moves and showed some quickness and the scoring touch to do so at times. Though he didn’t shoot well, he was able to get to the free throw line often. On the downside, he tended to struggle to protect the ball out of the post, which led him to be turnover prone.

He also showed a satisfactory ability to rebound the basketball. He also played perhaps above average defense. He showed the length, timing, and instincts to block shots to help his team protect the paint. He also moved his feet well when defending on a drive once to force his opponent to commit a traveling violation. On the downside, he would sometimes struggle to guard quicker players off the dribble, which would lead him to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Goldin didn’t have his best game, but he is a very tall, strong center that showed an emerging face-up game to go along with having decent interior skills, which could enable him to allow him to be an effective rotational big man in the NBA someday.

Michigan’s 6-2 freshman point guard, L.J. Cason played well in limited minutes, especially late in the game when the game was already out of hand. He was able to throw a sharp bullet pass to a cutter to notch an assist, as he showed off solid playmaking skills. He also was able to pull up to make a smooth three-pointer late in the game. He also managed to draw free throws on an aggressive drive to the rim. Cason is a fleet-footed combo guard that can score the basketball, and he could be a key prospect to watch next season.

Chaney Johnson had a decent showing in his team’s win over Auburn. He was able to make some solid plays on both ends of the floor. Johnson was able to score on a smooth, turnaround jumper out of the post. He also managed to score on a thunderous dunk off of a backdoor cut to showcase his great athleticism. On the other hand, he also missed an open three once, and he also missed on a rushed drive to the hoop another time.

Johnson showcased perhaps adequate playmaking skills. He was able to make passes off the dribble and out of the post to consistently find open shooters. On the downside, he stepped out of bounds when looking to drive to the hoop once. He also dropped a catchable pass that led to another team turnover.

He also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball. He also defended well. Johnson showed a knack for blocking shots due to possessing very good length, athleticism, and timing. On one very good play, he didn’t bite on a pump fake, and he stayed with his man to swat a three-point shot that time. However, sometimes he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to commit touch fouls.

Overall, Johnson played much better than the box score stats indicated, and he is a very athletic, energetic forward that made hustle plays to help his team on both ends of the floor. While he’ll still need to improve his outside shots, his athleticism, motor, and intangibles could enable him to make it to the NBA someday.

Chad Baker-Mazara didn’t have his best game, but he was able to make a couple of solid plays in this game. Despite not shooting well overall, he was able to use a crafty ball fake to score on a smooth drive to the hoop once. He also drove quickly to the rim on the break to score on a high-flying dunk late in the game.

On the downside, he struggled to knock down outside shots and tended to throw bad passes that would get intercepted. Baker-Mazara played decent defense in this game. He would intercept passes to get steals, but he also would tend to pick up quick fouls on the defensive end. Overall, he didn’t have his best night, but he is an athletic, skilled swingman that projects into a 3 and D role for the NBA.

Miles Kelly didn’t have a very good game in his team’s win over Michigan. He struggled to make shots and would sometimes commit ball-handling turnovers, but Kelly was able to make an open corner three in this game, despite not shooting the ball well overall against Michigan.

He also rebounded the ball well. He was able to make a good defensive play once, as he was able to tie up an opposing ball handler in the post to help force a turnover. Overall, Kelly didn’t play well, but he is a mobile, skilled swingman that projects into a 3 and D role at the NBA level, and Auburn will need him to play well in their quest for the title this season.

Tre Donaldson also didn’t play very well, but the agile, skilled point guard was able to make some plays on both ends of the floor for Michigan despite not having a very good game. Donaldson was able to make a deep three off the catch, and he also used a spin move to score on a turnaround jumper out of the post. However, he struggled to consistently score off the dribble or on three-pointers. He also tended to throw inaccurate passes that would sail out of bounds, and he was quite turnover prone in this game.

Defensively, Donaldson was able to run in to back tap an opposing ball handler to help his team get a steal. Another time though, he fouled a jump shooter on a step-back, mid-range jumper. Overall, Donaldson made some noise as a draft prospect by scoring on a game-winning layup against Maryland in the Big Ten Conference Tournament, but he didn’t play very well in this game against Auburn. He’ll likely need to stay in school to continue to hone and develop his game, but his athleticism and upside could enable him to project to be a promising point guard for the NBA.

Roddy Gayle Jr. didn’t have his best game in his team’s loss to Auburn, but he was able to make some good plays at times. He was at his best when he would look to score on hustle plays, as he was particularly effective at scoring off of cuts and on fast breaks. However, he struggled to make threes or score in one-on-one situations.

He also is an unselfish player that was able to make a dribble handoff pass to a cutter to notch an assist. Another time though, when he looked to post up, he bobbled and lost the ball before winding up getting tied up by a defender to commit a turnover.

While he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, Gayle was able to get an offensive board against Auburn. He also defended fairly well. He is an active help defender that would look to get his hands on passes to get steals and deflections, and he also was able to rotate to block a shot to a teammate to help his team protect the paint. He has long arms, as well as the timing to make plays on the ball to get stops for his team.

Overall, Gayle didn’t play very well, but he is a competitive player that would make hustle plays to help his team on both ends of the floor. He’ll need to improve his outside shot, but he is a skilled swingman that could project to be a versatile role player at the NBA level.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how Pettiford, Wolf, Broome, and other various prospects fared in this game. It’ll be interesting to see what will happen in the Auburn-Michigan State game to see which team amongst them will advance to the Final Four. Thanks for reading.