“Johni Broome because he’s an all around player”: College hoops fans debate between $4.8 million NIL-valued Cooper Flagg and Auburn star for POTY

As March Madness nears, Cooper Flagg and Johni Broome continue to make their case for the Naismith Player of the Year award. The two forwards have been leading the race for the entire year.

Duke's freshman, who has a NIL worth of $4.8 million (as per On3), was assumed to win the award in a survey by CBS even before playing his first college game. The survey did list other senior-year contenders like RJ Davis and Mark Sears but did not showcase Broome at the top spot.

With that, SLAM University posted a series of photos and videos of the two stars on its IG handle, asking fans about their choice for the PoY.

"Who would be your vote for National Player of the Year⁉️👀," the post read.

Fans rushed to the comment section, with some showcasing support for Johni Broome:

"Johni storm need credit where its due🔥🔥," a fan wrote.

"Probably Johmi because he’s an all around player," another user commented.

"Broome. Everyone just loves Flagg because he’s young. Broome is playing against harder competition and putting up similar numbers with less minutes," a fan added.

Some fans chose Cooper Flagg for the annual honor:

"Coop’s run is impressive! Especially with him reclassifying up keep that in mind he could really be in highschool right now 🤷🏾‍♂️😂," a user wrote.

"Coop is the better all around player. He does everything on the court. Coop for sure," another fan commented.

"Just a quick reminder for everyone, Cooper just turned 18 and Johni is almost 23.," a user added.

Fans debate Flagg and Broome's contention for the Player of the Year award | via @slamuniversity/ig

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What's next for Johni Broome and Cooper Flagg?

Johni Broome has averaged 18.6 points and 10.6 rebounds this season, leading No. 3 AU to a 27-4 season and top SEC record. The team earned bye games in the conference tournament and will face Ole Miss in the quarterfinal on Thursday. The Tigers have a winning record against the Rebels this year, sweeping them 2-0 in the regular season.

Cooper Flagg is averaging 19.4 points and 7.6 rebounds this year and has led Duke to a 29-3 regulation and top ACC seed. The Blue Devils defeated Georgia Tech 78-70 in the quarterfinal on Wednesday and will face North Carolina in the semifinal on Friday.

While Flagg and Co. swept the Tar Heels 2-0 in the regular season, the matchup will be nothing short of exciting due to the rivalry between the two in-state programs.