Charles Barkley shared a strong endorsement of Johni Broome ahead of Auburn's 83-63 victory over Alabama State in March Madness's Round of 64 -- calling the Tigers big man better than he was on the Plains from 1981-1984.
"If he can finish the journey, I'd say he's the greatest player in Auburn basketball history," Barkley said, per On3.
"He's better than me in college."
While Auburn lost Chris Moore to injury in what could be a consequential blow to their depth, Bruce Pearl's squad overcame early adversity and handled their in-state foe in the South region's No. 1-No. 16 matchup.
Auburn now takes on No. 9 seeded Creighton in the Round of 32.
Bruce Pearl not satisfied with Auburn's performance in Alabama State win
AU got a star performance from Broome, who went for 14 points and 11 rebounds. Miles Kelly's 23 points on 7/15 shooting from beyond the arc was the highlight, but Broome was a sturdy force in the paint as the Hornets rallied in the first half.
Pearl credited Alabama State for the tough performance but stressed that his team must be better.
"We didn't play our best, but I think they (Alabama State) had a lot to do with it. I give them a great deal of credit... But trust me, we can play — and we need to play — a lot better," Pearl said, per The Auburn Observer.
"If there's one thing I can get my guys to lock into moving forward, it's 'Did we value every possession on the offensive end and the defensive end?' ... That's the biggest difference between how we were playing earlier this season and now."
For Broome to get the recognition he deserves as AU hoops' G.O.A.T., Pearl will need to get better play so the Tigers can make the run that'll earn him that designation.