Top 5 centers in SEC to watch out for during 2024-25 college basketball season ft. Johni Broome
The centers are coming. College basketball is just around the corner. With the NBA draft completed and the transfer portal business mostly sorted, teams are moving ahead to the 2024-25 season. Some of these teams have outstanding center prospects. In the SEC, there's even one major center move within the conference. Here are the top five SEC centers heading into 2024-25.
Top 5 centers in SEC to watch out for in 2024-25
5. Micah Handlogten, Florida
A 7-foot-1 standout who transferred to Florida from Marshall, Handlogten is a defense-first guy who has shown strides. Handlogten seemed to get more comfortable as the season went on before a broken leg in the SEC Tournament ended his year prematurely.
Handlogten averaged 5.3 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game for the Gators last season. It'll be interesting to see if he can assert himself offensively in 2024-25. He'll be an impact player either way.
4. Brandon Garrison, Kentucky (Oklahoma State transfer)
Garrison had an up-and-down season at Oklahoma State after being a McDonald's All-American. Garrison ended up averaging 7.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg. Mark Pope's Kentucky team has to rebuild a roster instantly, and Garrison was an attractive option for the Wildcats.
Kentucky added Amari Williams, who will also see some time, but Garrison probably has the higher upside. It'll be interesting to see how he fits into Pope's offense this fall.
3. Cliff Omoruyi, Alabama (Rutgers transfer)
A 6-foot-11 center who played four seasons at Rutgers, Omoruyi is moving on to Alabama this year. In his college career, Omoruyi has 1,251 points, 933 rebounds and 221 blocked shots. His best season was 2022-23, when he scored 13.2 ppg and added 9.6 rpg.
Alabama should make a good landing spot for Omoruyi. He will defend and rebound and capitalize off a floor spread by a team full of shooters and athletes. He could well end up as an All-SEC type player.
2. Jonas Aidoo, Arkansas (Tennessee transfer)
A long-time fixture of Rick Barnes' Tennessee program, Aidoo decided to move on to Arkansas with new coach John Calipari. Aidoo finished last season averaging 11.4 ppg and 7.3 rpg for the Vols. He also finished third in the SEC in blocked shots. An All-SEC season topped three years of steady improvement.
With Arkansas, Aidoo will be part of a roster that is almost a complete rebuild. His SEC experience should be a valuable component of the Razorbacks' season.
1. Johni Broome, Auburn
Another All-SEC big man, Broome's decision to return to Auburn was massive. Broome spent two seasons at Morehead State and now two more at Auburn. The 6-foot-10 veteran has now totaled 2,029 points, 1,205 rebounds and 343 blocked shots. He even has become a 3-point shooter. After not making one for two seasons, he was 28 for 79 (35%) last season.
Broome is a veteran presence at both ends of the floor. His impact at Auburn is almost immeasurably large. He's a solid bet as an All-SEC and may be an All-American player in 2024-25.
Which SEC big men are you excited to see in 2024-25? Weight in below with your thoughts in our comments section!