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Sixers Take Baylor’s V.J. Edgecombe with Third Pick in NBA Draft
Published:
The pick is in:
Edgecombe is an explosive guard, 6’5″, about 190 pounds, a 19 year old who won Big 12 Rookie of the Year. He was named All-Big 12 second team and has played internationally for the Bahamas, where he was born and raised before coming to the U.S. as a teenager.
He averaged 15 points 5.6 rebounds and three assists during his lone college season. He played 33 games, averaging 32.7 minutes, and shot 34% from three on 4.6 attempts per game. He was a 78% foul shooter.
Edgecombe has a beautiful reel of great plays on both ends of a floor. Big dunks, big blocks, basically the type of stuff that gets you up out of your seat. He plays ferocious defense as well, both on the perimeter and at the rim where you don’t see guards often make an impact. He swipes a lot of balls and seems to be a very gritty and smart. A high-motor play with some intrinsically Philly traits.
As for things to improve, he’s still unpolished technique-wise, not someone who creates a lot for himself or others. You feel like he has to improve his handle and body control to get better shots coming off the dribble. Kind of like a superhero in a Marvel movie who is realizing how to use their newfound powers.
Great backcourt for the Sixers now, who have Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes TBD. They avoid the Ace Bailey goofiness in the process.
V.J. Edgecombe: He’s it baby! –
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com