VJ Edgecombe stays only behind Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper; gets the edge over Ace Bailey, Kon Knueppel and more in 2025 NBA mock draft

VJ Edgecombe gained an edge in the upcoming NBA draft. According to an updated projected NBA draft, the Baylor star will be selected third overall.

Recruit News posted an updated mock draft on Instagram Tuesday, courtesy of ESPN NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony. The top two picks remain unchanged from past mock drafts. Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg is the consensus No. 1 pick to the Dallas Mavericks, and it's projected that Rutgers' Dylan Harper will be picked up second by the San Antonio Spurs.

However, a new name appeared in the No. 3 spot. Givony's latest prediction has Baylor star Edgecombe selected No. 3 by the Philadelphia 76ers. Previously, Rutgers' Ace Bailey or Duke's Kon Knueppel were projected to be picked third by the 76ers.

Givony now has Knueppel at fourth (to the Charlotte Hornets) and Bailey at sixth (to the Washington Wizards).

Edgecombe turned heads at the NBA Combine. The young guard posted a 38.5-inch max vertical at the event, a stat made even more impressive by his size. Edgecombe isn't a particularly sizable player in his draft class. At the Combine, he measured 6-foot-4 barefoot with a 6-foot-7.5 wingspan. This makes his vertical even more admirable. Edgecombe finished 10th in max vertical.

The Baylor star's performance at the Combine added to his already impressive draft profile and has helped boost him to the projected No. 3 pick.

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament Second Round-Baylor at Duke - Source: Imagn

What VJ Edgecombe brings to the NBA draft

VJ Edgecombe stunned in his sole college season. The Bahamas native came to Baylor as the No. 5 player in his class and No. 1 shooting guard.

The guard made 33 starts last season, averaging 32.7 minutes. He led Baylor with 2.1 steals per game and added team second-bests with 15.0 points per game and 3.2 assists per game. Edgecombe also recorded 5.6 rebounds per game. Moreover, he shot 43.6%, including 34% from beyond the arc.

His dominant freshman campaign resulted in him being named Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament First Round-Baylor at Mississippi State - Source: Imagn

Edgecombe is an athletic guard who can contribute on both sides of the ball. His skill set should translate well to the NBA.

About the author

Lindsey Ware is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over five years of experience working with publications such as The News & Observer, The Daily Tar Heel, Triangle Tribune and Cardiac Cane. She has also worked for Major League Baseball, The Holly Springs Salamanders, The Tri-City Chili Peppers, Tuffy Talk, Super Meteors Basketball, Just Good Network and Living Sport.

Lindsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. Her education allowed Lindsey to gain experience in sports communication, which she honed in internships. Other than being a storyteller and sports fanatic, Lindsey is also a social media and marketing specialist.

Her favorite college team is UNC, although she grew up a N.C. State fan as both of her parents are Wolfpack alumni. Michael Jordan was a huge deal in North Carolina when Lindsey was growing up, and after a summer spent at UNC’s Sports Journalism Camp back in high school, Lindsey was set on being a Tar Heel.

Lindsey's favorite college coach of all time is Roy Williams. During her time attending UNC Chapel Hill and writing for The Daily Tar Heel, Lindsey was lucky enough to meet and speak with Williams a few times. He was like a celebrity on UNC’s campus and was beloved for his coaching style and success with the Tar Heels, accumulating three NCAA championship titles in 18 years.

When not watching or writing about sports, Lindsey enjoys reading, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with my friends, family and dog. She also likes to journal, watch movies and paint.

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Edited by Krutik Jain