Inside The Wizards

Baylor SG Could Be Wizards Draft Target

The Washington Wizards should keep an eye on a star player at Baylor.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 12, 2024; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears guard VJ Edgecombe (7) drives to the basket for a layup against the Sam Houston State Bearkats during the first half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Nov 12, 2024; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears guard VJ Edgecombe (7) drives to the basket for a layup against the Sam Houston State Bearkats during the first half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images / Chris Jones-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards scouting department has the chance to look at many of the top prospects going into the 2025 NBA Draft after the team has plummeted to the bottom of the league standings.

Among the best players in this year's draft class is Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe, who is listed at No. 4 on ESPN's big board.

"Edgecombe has come out of the gates slower than expected, struggling to put the ball in the basket consistently while shooting just 44% from 2-point range and 8-for-30 (27%) from 3," ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony writes. "Digging into the film, it's easy to see why Edgecombe is so highly regarded, especially in the rare moments he is operating on the ball in a crowded Baylor backcourt that has often pushed him to the small forward position. No one in college can stay in front of Edgecombe's first step, and he has real feel as a passer to make plays for others as he gets a paint touch virtually anytime he is asked to create a shot for himself -- something that will be accentuated more vividly in the far more wide-open, up-tempo NBA."

The only players that rank higher than Edgecombe are Duke forward Cooper Flagg and Rutgers duo Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey.

At 6-5, Edgecombe would perfectly supplant himself in the shooting guard role next to either Jordan Poole or Bub Carrington.

While Edgecombe has struggled on offense to start the season, he has been one of the better defenders in the country, which is why Baylor feels comfortable putting two other guards on the floor alongside him.

Having the ability to defend players bigger than him puts Edgecombe higher on team's draft boards, and if he's still available when the Wizards are on the clock, he should warrant some consideration.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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