Raptors Said to Have Workout With West Virginia's Veteran Center

The Toronto Raptors reportedly have a workout with West Virginia's fifth-year center Jesse Edwards ahead of the NBA draft

Mar 12, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers center Jesse Edwards (7) rebounds during the first half against the Cincinnati Bearcats at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports | William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports

Jesse Edwards may be a name worth keeping tabs on.

The 7-foot center out of West Virginia isn't likely to get drafted later this month, but Edwards is reportedly a prospect the Toronto Raptors have been looking at with a workout scheduled at some point this month, according to Ethan Brock of The Portal Report.

Edwards is a fifth-year senior who spent four years playing for Syracuse before transferring to West Virginia this past year where he averaged 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 61.3% from the field.

Growing up in Amsterdam, Edwards is a bit of a newcomer to basketball. It wasn't until he was 12 that he took up the sport, he told Syracuse basketball reporter James Szuba. He moved to IMG Academy in Florida following his high school graduation and spent the year developing his skills before heading to Syracuse in 2019.

Edwards has the prototypical size to be a big man despite his relatively slender frame. He'll need to add some muscle to be able to take on the league's bigger centers, but his 7-foot-5 wingspan gives him impressive length.

The lack of a three-point shot means Edwards is mostly a rim scorer who occasionally takes mid-range jump shots. His shooting form needs a lot of work as his 52.3% free throw stroke this past season indicates. He's not particularly explosive around the hoop too, which will limit his pick-and-roll abilities and he's not much of a playmaker out of the post.

The hope for Edwards is he can fill a role as a backup big man at some point down the road if he can refine his feel for the game and improve his shooting.

Toronto has been looking to add a young developmental center this offseason after losing Christian Koloko and Jontay Porter this past year and it's possible if the organization doesn't pick one with its two draft selection that Edwards could be someone scooped up by the Raptors following the draft.