Highlighting VJ Edgecombe's Strengths and Weaknesses Ahead of NBA Draft

Baylor had a rocky season where there were some bright spots and some low spots.

After a tough offensive start to the season freshman wing VJ Edgecombe really turned things around and showcased why he should be considered a top five pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Let’s dive into some of his strengths and areas of improvement:

Strengths

The most NBA ready attribute that Edgecombe possesses is his NBA level athleticism. There are a lot of very good athletes in this draft, but none of them come close to the level of athleticism the Baylor star has.

Edgecombe is an elite athlete with unreal explosiveness and vertical pop. He’s an absolute blur in the open floor and is a nearly flawless all-around athlete. There is not question in scouts' minds that the moment he gets drafted, he will already be in the top ten lists as one of the most athletic people in the NBA.

On the defensive end Edgecombe has a chance to be an NBA All-Defensive team type of defender. He’s extremely quick laterally and has very quick reactions that allow him to beat opposing ball-handlers to their spots.

The 6-foot-5 wing has defensive playmaking ability where he generates a lot of steals on and off of the ball while also being a good shot-blocking wing. Outside of getting steals and blocks, Edgecombe is also a great rebounding wing. Some of his defensive skills resemble Pistons wing Ausar Thompson.

On the offensive end he can be underrated at times due to how great he is defensively and athletically. Edgecombe is a good 3-point shooter that has improved his shot mechanics over the years and is a reliable shooter off the catch.

He has legit shooting potential if he continues to improve his shooting in the NBA. Outside of scoring the ball he also is a good secondary playmaker that possesses good court vision and has an overall great feel for the game. The connective passing is there and so is his high basketball IQ.

Areas Of Improvement

The biggest area of improvement for Edgecombe is the pull-up jumper. This past season he shot 25% on pull-ups which is far below-average for a NBA wing.

There are some valid questions on how his scoring translates and looks in the NBA. His handle is a bit loose which hurts his ability to create in the half-court as he often mishandles the ball or struggles to chain together moves to get by perimeter defenders. Being a more consistent shooter in general would be very beneficial for his game.

Another area of improvement for Edgecombe is improving his consistency as a finisher at the rim. Despite being the top athlete in the draft he struggles to be efficient on layup attempts in the half-court.

This past season for the Baylor Bears he shot under 45% on layup attempts which is less than ideal for a wing, especially when considering his gifted athletic tools. Adding more strength to his frame and having more spacing in the NBA will hopefully help improve his ability to finish at the rim and through contact.