VJ Edgecombe Selected by Philadelphia with 3rd Pick, Becomes Highest-Ever Drafted Bear

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Baylor men’s basketball guard and reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year, VJ Edgecombe, was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, marking the highest-ever draft selection of a Baylor player in program history, surpassing Ekpe Udoh (No. 6) to the Golden State Warriors in 2010.

Edgecombe is the sixth Bear to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft across the last five seasons, joining Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell (No. 9, 2021), San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (No. 9, 2022), Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (No. 16, 2023), Toronto Raptors guard Ja’Kobe Walter (No. 19, 2024) and New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (No. 21, 2024). Baylor is the only program in the country to have top-19 selections in five straight drafts.

En route to All-Big 12 Second-Team honors, 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's somebody whose best basketball is 10 years down the road, not two or three years down the road because of his experience level; he’s someone relatively newer to the sport,” head coach Scott Drew said of Edgecombe a few weeks ago.

Drew added, “Whoever drafts him is going to get somebody that can impact the game on both ends of the court. His ability to show that he can play with the ball in pick-and-roll situations. Analytically, he was tremendous at the point for us. That’s something else someone can benefit from because in high school, he really didn’t do that."

Edgecombe is an interesting addition to a Philadelphia franchise that has been a contender in the Eastern Conference for almost a decade, but suffered a setback in 2024-2025 as injuries decimated their roster. The 76ers are headlined by stars Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Joel Embiid. Edgecombe could eventually be a perfect two-guard next to Maxey, the NBA’s 2024 Most Improved Player.