Baylor Basketball Coach Makes Special Comp For Top 76ers Prospect

What could VJ Edgecombe bring to the Philadelphia 76ers? Scott Drew weighs in.

Mar 20, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Baylor Bears guard VJ Edgecombe (7) shoots during practice at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

A new favorite might be on the minds of the Philadelphia 76ers as the 2025 NBA Draft approaches. Last week, the state of the talk surrounding the Sixers’ pre-draft plans took quite a turn. After one month of debating whether drafting Ace Bailey or trading back was the right move, the Sixers were eventually linked to the Baylor guard, VJ Edgecombe.

According to the NBA Insider Jake Fischer, the Sixers hosted VJ Edgecombe for a pre-draft visit. He got that opportunity before any of the other notable prospects that could be on the Sixers’ radar, including Ace Bailey.

Recently, Edgecombe’s now-former coach Scott Drew discussed what the freshman guard could bring to the table to Philadelphia for next season and beyond. The college head coach suggested that Edgecombe could resemble the early days of Dwyane Wade and Russell Westbrook.

“I think a lot of the time when you think of a top pick, you’re thinking of a guy that scores 30 each and every night. I think VJ is capable of that, but I think he’s a lot more similar to like a Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook when they were younger, really because of his athleticism and his willingness to affect the game in multiple areas,” Drew said on PHLY.

Although Edgecombe might not have been a high-level scorer in college, he still averaged 15 points in 33 minutes while taking nearly 12 shots per game. Scoring was important from the Baylor guard, but impacting the game in multiple areas was a recipe for Edgecombe’s success as a player.

“I think he’s more like a triple-double guy—a stat-sheet stuffer guy—than somebody that’s going to come out and get 30 each night and not help the team in other areas,” Drew added.

“The best compliment you can give VJ is that he’s a winner. He cares about winning first and foremost. He can affect the game in a lot of different areas to help you win. That’s rare. A lot of guys nowadays are happy when they score 30, and not happy when the team wins and whatnot. He can score four, and if the team wins, and he plays hard, he feels great about it.”

Although Edgecombe would join the Sixers at No. 3 overall if they stay there and select him, he enters a situation where he would be lower down the pecking order than the typical third-best prospect in the NBA Draft. The Sixers have a team full of veterans, and they view themselves as contenders when healthy.

Edgecombe won’t have the immediate pressure to play like the focal point of a rebuilding franchise, but he’ll still get an opportunity to prove he can impact the game as a role player. Based on Drew’s description of the 19-year-old guard, he just might be the perfect fit for Philadelphia’s current situation.