NBA Draft: A Look at VJ Edgecombe’s All-Star Player Comparison

While landing the No.4 spot in the NBA Draft Lottery may not have been the ideal outcome that Hornets fans craved, it could be worse. 

This year’s draft in particular, is quite top-heavy - which should leave Charlotte with some strong options at No.4. According to NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor’s 2025 NBA Mock Draft, the Hornets are expected to take Baylor wing VJ Edgecombe.

Last season, the former five-star recruit was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year after averaging 15 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.1 steals. Edgecombe is widely regarded as one of the most well-rounded players in the draft, ranking top three on the team in points, rebounds, and assists while also leading the Bears in steals.

Along with O’Connor’s mock draft prediction came a few NBA player comparisons. Hornets on SI takes a look at one comparison in particular , and how he would fit in with the Hornets. 

Victor Oladipo

This should be viewed as Edgecombe’s ceiling, given that Oladipo was once one of the league’s most promising young players before a series of lower-body injuries halted his career.

At his peak however, Oladipo represented everything that Edgecombe could potentially blossom into. The ten-year veteran made two All-Star teams (2018, 2019), earned an NBA All-Defensive First Team selection (2018) and was an All-NBA Third Team selection that same year.

During his first few years in the NBA, Oladipo managed to be relatively productive while primarily relying on athleticism and hustle before developing a more advanced skillset. After refining his three-point shot and ball-handling ability, everything seemed to come together for him. His best year as a pro came during the 2017-2018 season, when he was named the NBA's Most Improved Player after averaging 23.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while leading the NBA with 2.4 steals per game.

If he truly is similar to Oladipo, Edgecombe should be an immediate contributor to Charlotte, even if it takes him a few years to come into his own. As a franchise in the midst of a rebuilding phase, reliable effort and a strong-willed attitude are what keep morale high throughout the roster, and Edgecombe’s play style exhibits that. The Baylor product will bring strong perimeter defense off the bat, and he has also proven to be a decent three-point shooter while taking a high volume of shots.

 The Hornet’s already have a pair of dynamic scorers (LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller), so adding another one shouldn't be a priority unless they plan on shopping one of their top players. Edgecombe seems like a solid contributing piece to surround your stars with. And if he ends up fine-tuning his game the way Oladipo did, Charlotte will have yet another player that is capable of putting up 20 points per game.

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