VJ Edgecombe

[Chi town]

Is he a similar prospect to Jaden Ivey?

Not a bad comp. Ivey stronger and PG coming in. VJ off ball and a much further behind handle. VJ will be a secondary handler.

Close athletes.

[RipCity71252]

I see a little Brad Beal. Beal was slightly more skilled at a younger age, but like VJ excelled largely as an off ball player.

Different kind of athletes though. VJ's faster and more vertically explosive. Beal was more flexible and had better change of direction. Better first step too mainly due to ball control and ability to get low on his drives which VJ really struggles to do.

He's kind of like Wiggins athletically in a lot ways.

I wouldn't bank on VJ becoming the scorer Brad became but the defense should be better. So yeah I like VJ, but I have reservations. Not sure how highly I value a PG sized wing that I don't project being a big time ball in hand player, but there's a solid chance he's a positive on both ends which is a starter on good teams.

[ItsDanger]

Not seeing the ISO scoring upside with him but I think he has a floor of high end 3&D guy. Really need to see combine measurements.

[Catchall]

Here's my new emerging theory on Edgecombe: It may be possible for him to play like Ja Morant.

Let's say he measures out around 6'3" and 185 lbs. He's fairly shifty and explosive off the dribble, but he's not powerful enough or advanced enough to play a Donovan Mitchell or Anthony Edwards-type role as a multi-level, isolation scorer. Why not play him at the 1 and have him do what Ja Morant does, which is--start at the top of the circle and either drive straight at the rim, take an open jumper, or make a fairly straightforward pass.

Edgecombe can drive, put pressure on the rim, and then either make a big finish or a basic pass to another secondary creator. All he really needs to do is make the defense collapse on him. It's not super sophisticated, but it could work for him.

[EMG518]

Here's my new emerging theory on Edgecombe: It may be possible for him to play like Ja Morant.

Let's say he measures out around 6'3" and 185 lbs. He's fairly shifty and explosive off the dribble, but he's not powerful enough or advanced enough to play a Donovan Mitchell or Anthony Edwards-type role as a multi-level, isolation scorer. Why not play him at the 1 and have him do what Ja Morant does, which is--start at the top of the circle and either drive straight at the rim, take an open jumper, or make a fairly straightforward pass.

Edgecombe can drive, put pressure on the rim, and then either make a big finish or a basic pass to another secondary creator. All he really needs to do is make the defense collapse on him. It's not super sophisticated, but it could work for him.

Because Ja is an elite point guard and VJ isnt even a point guard.

You can't just flip a switch and all of a sudden have insane handle, control, passing, creating, and vision

[Catchall]

VJ is starting to show more self creation. With his athletic tools and knack for defense, he is firmly now a top 4 prospect in my opinion.

Read on Twitter

I feel like I'm watching Monta Ellis.

[Dat2U]

I think the Victor Oladipo comparisons make alot of sense. Not truly a 1st option guy but with his vast improvement in creation off the dribble just over the course of this season, it's not hard to imagine him being a team's 2nd or 3rd option, plus he's giving you strong defense. Top 5 lock. Outlier athleticism + work ethic and improving skill equal a high floor.

[CptCrunch]

I think the Victor Oladipo comparisons make alot of sense. Not truly a 1st option guy but with his vast improvement in creation off the dribble just over the course of this season, it's not hard to imagine him being a team's 2nd or 3rd option, plus he's giving you strong defense. Top 5 lock. Outlier athleticism + work ethic and improving skill equal a high floor.

Zero evidence of claim on work ethic

[Dat2U]

I think the Victor Oladipo comparisons make alot of sense. Not truly a 1st option guy but with his vast improvement in creation off the dribble just over the course of this season, it's not hard to imagine him being a team's 2nd or 3rd option, plus he's giving you strong defense. Top 5 lock. Outlier athleticism + work ethic and improving skill equal a high floor.

Zero evidence of claim on work ethic

I think the improvements in his games over the course of the year show he's clearly putting in the work. It was also not lost to me regarding how he endeared himself immediately to vets on the Bahamas national team this past summer.

[Catchall]

Old-school comp: peak Larry Hughes -- athletic, 2-way combo-guard who can get you 19/5/5 w/ 2+ stls and adequate efficiency.

More modern comp: Oladipo makes sense, though VO had 25 lbs on VJ.

[blog_pistons]

Reminds me a little of Shaedon Sharpe.

[vincecarter4pres]

Old-school comp: peak Larry Hughes -- athletic, 2-way combo-guard who can get you 19/5/5 w/ 2+ stls and adequate efficiency.

More modern comp: Oladipo makes sense, though VO had 25 lbs on VJ.

I don’t remember Hughes being adequately efficient without looking, in fact I remember a majority of his career being inefficient.

Olapido has some real merit, I’m not seeing Hughes though, quite different players, efficiency aside.

[vincecarter4pres]

Just want to add and say again, after the big 3, I’m fine with VJ at 4.

I wouldn’t bet against him. His athleticism is top tier, his feel for the game is really good, he’s great off ball, and his issues with handle and creating on ball are HEAVILY overblown.

There is 100% a world where we look back 5+ years from now and he’s the clear cut best player from an incredible draft.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Just want to add and say again, after the big 3, I’m fine with VJ at 4.

I wouldn’t bet against him. His athleticism is top tier, his feel for the game is really good, he’s great off ball, and his issues with handle and creating on ball are HEAVILY overblown.

There is 100% a world where we look back 5+ years from now and he’s the clear cut best player from an incredible draft.

There is "no big 3" there's Flagg and then a huge dropoff and then Harper and then a catastrophic dropoff.

Bailey is just MPJ but worse at shooting and that isn't interesting at all.

VJ will be Jalen Suggs and should go #3 because this draft sucks in the 3-5 range.

[vincecarter4pres]

Just want to add and say again, after the big 3, I’m fine with VJ at 4.

I wouldn’t bet against him. His athleticism is top tier, his feel for the game is really good, he’s great off ball, and his issues with handle and creating on ball are HEAVILY overblown.

There is 100% a world where we look back 5+ years from now and he’s the clear cut best player from an incredible draft.

There is "no big 3" there's Flagg and then a huge dropoff and then Harper and then a catastrophic dropoff.

Bailey is just MPJ but worse at shooting and that isn't interesting at all.

VJ will be Jalen Suggs and should go #3 because this draft sucks in the 3-5 range.

I think this take is going to look kinda silly in a few years.

There is no way all the top prospects pan out. Some will be average, some will flatout bust.

And there are always a couple later in the lottery, or even into the 2nd round who become All Stars and way outperformed a majority of the draft.

But Harper and Bailey have monumental upside even if they also have glaring red flags.

And there are a number of interesting kids like VJ, Tre, Queen, etc., who have a great shot at being high level stars.

[HadAnEffectHere]

The idea that Bailey has huge upside seems to be a delusion from elder millennials (I am an elder millennial to be clear) that have strong nostalgia for Melo and thus rate any Melo cosplay, no matter how totally ineffective, as demonstrating star potential.

Ace has no on-ball juice at all and is an 8/10 shooter with no feel for the game. He's going to be a worse MPJ or maybe Harrison Barnes.

VJ also has no on-ball juice and is so small that he can only be a star on ball so he also has no upside as more than an average starter. But he's very likely to reach his ceiling of average starter.

[vincecarter4pres]

The idea that Bailey has huge upside seems to be a delusion from elder millennials (I am an elder millennial to be clear) that have strong nostalgia for Melo and thus rate any Melo cosplay, no matter how totally ineffective, as demonstrating star potential.

Ace has no on-ball juice at all and is an 8/10 shooter with no feel for the game. He's going to be a worse MPJ or maybe Harrison Barnes.

VJ also has no on-ball juice and is so small that he can only be a star on ball so he also has no upside as more than an average starter. But he's very likely to reach his ceiling of average starter.

I don’t even see Melo as a good stylistic comp for Bailey tbh.

[EMG518]

I don't know, he seems too small honestly with his skill set. Who can he actually guard in the NBA, everyone will try to get a switch with him, he is 180lbs. He doesn't bring much versatility defensively and guys are way stronger in the league. He doesnt have a build to put on alot of weight. I don't think he is going to be a plus defender as a 2 and certainly not a plus offensive player at the 2. He is pretty limited with ancillary skills.

I think he is way to high on people's boards.

[azcatz11]

The idea that Bailey has huge upside seems to be a delusion from elder millennials (I am an elder millennial to be clear) that have strong nostalgia for Melo and thus rate any Melo cosplay, no matter how totally ineffective, as demonstrating star potential.

Ace has no on-ball juice at all and is an 8/10 shooter with no feel for the game. He's going to be a worse MPJ or maybe Harrison Barnes.

VJ also has no on-ball juice and is so small that he can only be a star on ball so he also has no upside as more than an average starter. But he's very likely to reach his ceiling of average starter.

I get Terry Rozier vibes from VJ but I don't even think he's as good on the ball. He's also clearly not a PG. I can see him playing 10 years in the league on horrible teams and average like 18 ppg and never making the PO's

[BlazersBroncos]

I think he is a Mathurian level guy.

This draft after the Top-2 really isnt all it was cracked up to be.

I think the Top-10 talents are ranked about this -

1. Flagg

2. Harper

3. Tre Johnson
4. Jeremiah Fears
5. Ace Bailey

6. Kahman Maluach
7. VJ Edgecomb
8. Noa Essengue

9. Thomas Sorber
10. Kasparas Jakucionis