NBA Mock Draft 1.0: Edgecombe Gaining Momentum to be Baylor's Highest-Ever Drafted Player

The NBA Draft is set for Wednesday, June 25. Let’s take a look at where all the various media outlets have Baylor’s freshman phenom, VJ Edgecombe, being selected.

VJ Edgecombe’s Projected Selection:

• Fox Sports: Philadelphia (No. 3)
• NBADraft.net: Philadelphia (No. 3)
• SBNation: Philadelphia (No. 3)
• The Athletic: Philadelphia (No. 3)
• CBS: Charlotte (No. 4)
• Sports Illustrated: Charlotte (No. 4)
• Yahoo: Charlotte (No. 4)
• USA Today: Charlotte (No. 4)
• ESPN: Utah (No. 5)
• The Ringer: Utah (No. 5)
• Bleacher Report: Utah (No. 5)

Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe is set to become Baylor’s sixth first-round NBA Draft pick (Davion Mitchell, Jeremy Sochan, Keyonte George, Yves Miss, Ja’Kobe Walter) across the last five seasons and is projected to be the highest-drafted player in program history, surpassing Ekpe Udoh (No. 6) to the Golden State Warriors in 2010.

Edgecombe had a phenomenal freshman season in Waco, averaging 15 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 44% from the floor and 34% from beyond the arc. He collected the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award and Second-Team all-conference honors.

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At the NBA Combine, Edgecombe was listed at 6-foot-4 barefoot and 193 pounds with a 6-foot-7.5 wingspan.

Most media outlets rave about Edgecombe’s elite athletic ability, tenacity on defense and dedication to playing winning basketball, but raise questions about his offensive ceiling. As of now, virtually every mock draft has Edgecombe being selected somewhere in the three-through-five range by either Philadelphia, Charlotte or Utah.

Philadelphia could be a very intriguing landing spot for Edgecombe, as the Sixers have the make-up of a winning team but were decimated by injuries last season, resulting in them missing the playoffs and earning a lottery selection.

Last week, Jake Fischer reported that Edgecombe is the “prime candidate” to be the third overall pick and that he “went to dinner with [Daryl] Morey and other Sixers higher-ups. Even Tyrese Maxey, sources say, flew in for the occasion. The Sixers are certainly intrigued by what type of defensive complement Edgecombe could provide their All-Star guard, sources say, in addition to his explosive upside on the offensive side of the ball.”

Meanwhile, Charlotte hasn’t made the playoffs since 2016, and despite having some talented pieces, is struggling to stay relevant in a weak Eastern Conference. Edgecombe, however, could be a solid fit and a highlight machine with the Hornets as the two-guard next to Lamelo Ball. Edgecombe could guard the opposing team’s best player on a nightly basis and wouldn’t be asked to carry the offense, as he’ll likely be the third scoring option behind Ball and third-year forward Brandon Miller. 

Utah has a crowded backcourt — Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George — but is still in search of a true alpha at guard. It’ll be interesting to see which direction Utah goes this summer with its roster, but if Edgecombe is the selection, he might have the keys to the offense early on. It’d also be intriguing to see him paired up with George, a former Bear and first-round selection in the 2023 NBA Draft, who started 35 games last season and averaged 16.8 points, 5.6 assists and 2.7 turnovers per game on 39% shooting from the floor and 34% from beyond the arc.