Johni Broome returns to Auburn for the 2024-2025 season as the face of the team’s sky high expectations.

Broome was a third team All-American last season, averaging 16.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. He was Auburn’s everyday starter at center, but his role could look slightly different this season.

Bruce Pearl said before the start of practice that Broome could play both the four and five positions for Auburn this season. The most likely scenario that would put Broome at the four is one where Dylan Cardwell starts at the five.

Through the first few weeks of practice, Broome said he’s starting to feel more comfortable in that role.

“It looked good,” Broome said of the two-big lineups in practice. “I was more comfortable playing the five, but I think playing the four this summer and this fall has kind of helped me.”

Broome said the time spent playing at the four also helped him with his defensive and positional awareness back at his natural position. Understanding the responsibilities of multiple players on the floor helped him defensively, especially when it came to switching.

How those lineups look and how much time Broome will spend at the four will depend on what happens over the next two weeks of practice.

“Whether or not Dylan starts at five and Johni starts at four, or Chaney [Johnson] starts at four and Johni starts at five, that’s all going to be taking place this month,” Pearl said on Sept. 25. “And it could change during the course of the year too because of matchups and things like that.”

Johnson is one of the team’s most improved players this season, according to Pearl and multiple players. Playing mostly in a backup role last year behind Jaylin Williams, he’s another player who could earn the spot at the four this season.

“He’s a terrific athlete,” Pearl said Wednesday of Johnson. “He came in last year, got his feet wet, absolutely looked like he belonged. Just needed more of him, just needed a little bit more aggressiveness on both the offensive and defensive end. He’s going to be a terrific contributor.”

“He’s gonna help us a lot this year,” Broome added, complimenting his potential frontcourt partner.

The first look at how those lineups could look comes in just over two weeks when Auburn hosts Florida Atlantic for a charity exhibition on Nov. 1.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m