Paul George Endorses 76ers Draft Prospect, Compares to Jimmy Butler

Will the Philadelphia 76ers draft VJ Edgecombe?

Jan 10, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) dribbles the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

After a positive workout with the Philadelphia 76ers, VJ Edgecombe is widely projected as the team’s No. 3 selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. The 19-year-old guard averaged 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists during his lone season at Baylor.

Edgecombe also represented the Bahamas in the 2024 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament. He averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists over four games. 

On a recent episode of Podcast P, Paul George praised Edgecombe for being an impactful player on the court. 

“I like VJ. I thought he showed tremendous upside when he played with Bahamas. It’s almost funny. Watching it, he stood out but I didn’t know the name. I didn’t know that was the player that went to Baylor… He’s competing against top talent, and he’s dunking on them, blowing by them, he was making an impact. He was an impactful player. It wasn’t about what he was shooting. You make shots and you miss shots. It was more about the impact that he had that was impressive for a guy at that age.”

Mar 21, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Baylor Bears head coach Scott Drew speaks with guard VJ Edgecombe (7) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

George also compared Edgecombe to six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler. 

“To me, I think he’s kind of like Jimmy Butler. You know what I mean? Just a dog. He plays hard, plays both ends, and just has that toughness about him. Want to win it all.” 

Based on recent mock draft projections, there’s a strong chance that George will be teaming up with Edgecombe in the near future. The NBA Draft kicks off on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. EST.

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