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Jazz's Keyonte George Opens Up on Ties to NBA Draft Standout
Apr 6, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) dribbles against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Heading into this year's NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz will have a few notable prospects to keep a keen eye on atop the boards to potentially look and utilize their top-five pick on once they land on the clock come late June.

One of those top prospects in this year's class is Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe– a projected top-five pick who presents huge upside as an athlete and versatility on both ends with the right development at the pro level.

And while they didn't suit up together at Baylor, Utah's Keyonte George shares a bit of familiarity with Edgecombe, who currently attends the second-year guard's alma mater, and even has some mutual connections of note, according to the Jazz guard during his end-of-season presser.

"The simple answer is, he's a freak," George said of Edgecombe. "Can jump out of the gym, can guard. Throughout the year, he started to shoot the ball really well. I think he's going to be great. I don't know if he's declared yet, but I think he's going to be great in the league, as long as he sticks with it. We have some of the same people, so whenever I get a chance to talk to him, I just tell him the little things that I know that's helped me in this league. If he can have a jump start on that, the mental part of it, the physical part of it... he's got everything. There's always things to get better at, but for him, if he can mentally do it, physically, he's just going to be able to get better, and figure it out at some point."

During his season with the Bears, Edgecombe had his moments as an athlete, but he's got the strong numbers to pair with those traits as well, averaging 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 33 games.

If the Jazz aren't fortunate enough to land the number-one pick in this year's class, and with it, Duke's Cooper Flagg in their laps, Edgecombe could be a prime candidate for Utah to add in the draft, depending on where exactly their first-round pick could fall. He has the athletic upside to soon develop into an NBA star, or at the very least, a high-level 3&D threat with great versatility.

It's clear Edgecombe has George's stamp of approval, and his selection could even make for an intriguing Baylor backcourt for the Jazz to build with for the future. However, Utah's draft plans and hopes will largely depend on how things pan out in next month's lottery.

The Jazz's draft fate will be cemented once the ping-pong balls bounce for the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago, set right around the corner for Thursday, May 12th.


This article first appeared on Utah Jazz on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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