Latest news with #Edgecombe
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
2025 NBA draft primer: Raptors targets, top prospects and a Canadian first-rounder
Over the last couple of months, the Star has profiled 2025 NBA draft prospects , including some who the Raptors could target Wednesday. About halfway through our series, the NBA draft lottery ping pong balls determined that the Raptors would be drafting ninth, giving us a better picture of who the Raptors might take a look at. Below is an overview of the players we've covered, what makes some a potential fit for the Raptors, and links to the full profiles. With the Raptors falling down instead of winning the draft lottery, these players are no longer in reach, but they're certainly worth taking note of. Cooper Flagg — NBA teams seek shooting and offensive intelligence. They want to find willing and versatile defenders. They are always searching for a mentality and a drive that separates prospects from suspects. It's good if they can find one quality, great if they can find two. Three is the kind of discovery that keeps general managers and team presidents employed. Find them all? They've found Flagg. Read the full profile here: Dylan Harper — The son of ex-NBAer Ron Harper and brother of the Detroit Pistons' Ron. Jr., a former Raptors prospect, has all the skills that could have landed him atop the draft class had Flagg not existed. He's a six-foot-six lefty guard with smarts and instincts that belie his 19-year-old self, and it's hard to find a major flaw in his game that can't be worked on and improved. In one season at Rutgers, Harper finished with a 70 per cent success rate at the rim, he's got a deep bag of floaters and drives, and he has found a way to dictate the tempo to the game. Read the full profile here: VJ Edgecombe — Jaw-dropping athleticism and defensive instincts, which make Edgecombe a surefire NBA lottery draft pick, are also what make him a somewhat longer-term selection. There are no questions about the raw skills of the six-foot-five Baylor University wing, just as there is no doubt that there are aspects he'll have to improve once his NBA career begins. Edgecombe, a 19-year-old from Bahamas, is highly touted, thought by many experts to be the third selection in June's draft behind Flagg and Harper. Read the full profile here: Their prospect stock is rising, but what if they fall to Toronto at No. 9? Tre Johnson — There are NBA draft picks who have immediate impact because their already-developed skills prepared them for handling the league. And then there are the prospects that teams are willing to wait for, players with an abundance of promise to be mined like minerals. Johnson, a six-foot-five point guard seen as a pick anywhere from third to 10th in the draft, certainly fits in the second category, but is someone most experts believe is worth waiting for. Read the full profile here: Khaman Maluach — It's such a logical fit on so many levels that the music is building to a draft-night crescendo for Toronto to draft the Duke centre because he ticks every Raptors box. He's an 18-year-old born in South Sudan and raised in Uganda, and everyone knows Raptors president Masai Ujiri sees Africa as fertile ground to unearth basketball treasures. Maluach has only been playing basketball since 2019, and there's nothing like raw talent to mould and fit the Raptors development program. He's also a seven-foot-two centre, addressing Toronto's glaring size deficiency. The question is, will he be available at No. 9? Read the full profile here: Kon Knueppel — Knueppel possesses one undeniable NBA skill, and it guarantees he is a virtual lock to go in the first 10 picks in the draft. The Duke University wing is a proven shooter — 40.6 per cent efficiency from three-point range, 47.9 per cent from the floor overall, 91.4 per cent from the free-throw line in one collegiate season — and that skill is in heavy demand throughout the league. Scouts know it, general managers know it, his much-ballyhooed Blue Devils teammate knows it. 'I know he's going to be great. He's solid in so many different ways,' Flagg said at the NBA draft combine last month. Read the full profile here: Any of these players could be available when the Raptors pick, but who would be the right fit? Derik Queen — When the Maryland freshman big hit a buzzer-beating basket to win a March Madness game, it vaulted him up the consciousness of many casual college basketball fans. To NBA talent evaluators, the shot was in keeping with Queen's offensive skills and shot-making ability, but it did not answer the major questions about the six-foot-10 centre and those will dog him throughout workout sessions in the pre-draft process. Can the 20-year-old Queen disprove the feelings that this consistent work ethic is enough to carry him to the upper echelon of the NBA? Read the full profile here: Collin Murray-Boyles — There are so many things that Murray-Boyles brings to the NBA draft that are impossible to ignore. He was a defensive star in the NCAA — he can switch coverages, blow up screen-roll actions and get his hands on passes — and any team looking for a young stopper to groom has to be enthralled with the 19-year-old South Carolina sophomore. His size is impressive — six-foot-seven, 240 pounds — and there have already been comparisons to Golden State's Draymond Green. That's unfair to put on a kid who just turned 20 years old this month and hasn't even taken part in an NBA practice, but it is the kind of comp he's getting. Read the full profile here: Noa Essengue — It's hard to imagine many NBA fans spent the winter wondering how Essengue's season was going and what his skills might do to enhance the chances of a team here. Now they probably are. The 18-year-old Frenchman who plays for Ratiopharm Ulm in the top German league, has become one of the darlings of recent mock drafts, leaping up to the top 10 heading into the festivities. The six-foot-10, 200-pounder is a quick, rangy big man with three-point shooting ability and what appears to be a promising future as he matures. Read the full profile here: Kasparas Jakucionis — One of the difficulties of nailing NBA draft picks is each teenage prospect's lack of experience limits the information available. A season, maybe two, at an American college hardly provides a long and detailed baseline, leaving teams to work mainly off their own projections. That's not the case with guard Jakucionis, who brings more experience to the process than anyone else touted as a top-10 selection. He has an impressive resumé for a youngster sure to be on Toronto's radar heading into Wednesday's first round of the NBA draft. Read the full profile here: Get to know the only Canadian expected to hear his name called in the first round of the NBA draft. Will Riley — ESPN has the Canadian pencilled in as the 22nd pick in a recent mock draft, though the Star has learned that some teams drafting in the lottery range have considered Riley. His scoring instincts and ability to create his own shot have caught the attention of NBA executives and scouts. At the draft combine in Chicago in May, Riley met and interviewed with 12 teams. He will become the second player from Kitchener to be drafted since Jamal Murray went seventh to the Denver Nuggets in 2016. He's also gotten plenty of love from the Durant family. Read the full profile here:
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Edgecombe: Thumb is ‘getting better', hopeful to play in Vegas Summer League
VJ Edgecombe spoke to ESPN about his injured thumb ahead of the Sixers' game against the Spurs on Thursday night. Edgecombe: Thumb is 'getting better', hopeful to play in Vegas Summer League originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Time of India
6 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'It's part of the game' - VJ Edgecombe shrugs off criticism as he led Philadelphia 76ers to an exciting win
VJ Edgecombe shrugs off criticism as he led Philadelphia 76ers to an exciting win (Image Credit: Getty Images) VJ Edgecombe spoke to the media after the Philadelphia 76ers' exciting win over the Washington Wizards. He expressed thoughts quite mature for his age, but right for the bright career he eyes in the NBA . When asked to weigh in on his missed shots during the game, he chose to stand tall against the criticism and called it a part of the game. The Philadelphia's third overall pick also got praise from teammate Johni Broome, who praised his defensive abilities. He called Edgecombe's game good for the Philadelphia fans. VJ Edgecombe was closely watched in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards. In the Summer League game against the Wizards, he was seen having a rough start. He could not score a single point in the first quarter. However, he did not allow mounting pressure to get the best of him and made a comeback in the impending quarters, pitching in 15 points, crucial to the Philadelphia 76ers' 74-58 win over the Wizards. VJ Edgecombe gets real talking about his game after crushing Washington Wizards in Summer League game VJ Edgecombe showed class handling the pressure in the Summer League game against the Washington Wizards. Despite a rough start, he kept his cool and stayed focused, making a comeback with overall 15 points contributed to the game. When asked about his struggle through missed shots, he told Forbes' Bobby Krivitsky: 'It's part of the game. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If A Cat Bites Their Owner Heres What It Really Means Gloriousa Undo You're going to miss shots. I don't think there has been anyone that has played basketball that has made every shot. At the end of the day, just got to keep playing basketball.' Playing his first NBA season, Edgecombe displayed a focused mindset. He refused to bow down to the criticism and took the comments in a positive stride. VJ Edgecombe showing impressive defensive skills at Summer League game against Washington Wizards (Image Credit: Getty Images) However, not the whole game was a sham for Philadelphia's promising guard. Edgecomb successfully silenced his critics with his defensive genius. He kept the momentum up on the court with his commanding presence and achieved six rebounds and three steals along with four assists. VJ Edgecombe talked about his responsibilities as a point guard, calling himself a learner When the attack became weak, VJ Edgecombe filled the performance void with his guarding abilities. Still, he confessed he had a lot to learn. Talking further to Forbes, VJ Edgecombe commented: 'I learn every day when it comes to being a point guard, lead guard, whatever you want to call it, I learn every day. So, just keep my head down and keep working to be honest. Watch film and do what I have to do to get better.' His no-nonsense approach to refining his guarding skills is a good thing for the 76ers' team and fans. VJ Edgecombe has a lot of fight in him, and the zeal to learn and excel are sure to take him high among the notable NBA players. Teammate Johni Broome had encouraging words for VJ Edgecombe's defensive game The 76ers' second-round pick Johni Broome came in support of his teammate VJ Edgecombe. He praised the NBA's third overall draft pick's performance in his debut game, where Edgecombe delivered a 28-point performance. Broome agreed that Edgecombe had a slow start, but quickly added that his defensive game provided the support the team needed. Commenting on Edgecombe, Broome told Forbes' Bobby Krivitsky: 'I think it was good to see for his teammates and for 76ers fans because his first game, he had a major game and everybody loved it.' He continued, 'Today, he didn't really score like he did in the first game. He was struggling a little bit offensively, but you see, it didn't affect his energy on the defensive end. His ability to keep attacking, that was good to see that he didn't let his scoring difficulties affect the rest of his game.' As per Bobby's update on X, Edgecombe is not sure whether he will play the next game. He shared that he is still in talks with the Summer League head coach regarding the same. Also Read: 5 safest NBA draft picks before 2025 Draft Day: Cooper Flagg, Carter Bryant, Walton Clayton Jr Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
VJ Edgecombe: No. 3 pick shakes off slow start, helps Sixers to win in Las Vegas debut
No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe recovered from some early rust on Tuesday, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a win in his first game in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada. Edgecombe went scoreless in the first half, missing each of his first seven attempts from the field. He responded by producing 15 points over the next two quarters, going 4 of 7 from the field and 6 of 6 at the free-throw line in a 74-58 win over the Washington Wizards. Once Edgecombe got going, the 19-year-old showcased each element of his game, from his explosion on offense to his ability to make plays for teammates. He was dynamic with the ball in his hands and got into the paint with ease after getting past the defense. Edgecombe debuted with the Sixers on July 5, producing 28 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal. He was sidelined for the last four games due to a left thumb sprain, though he participated in some on-court workouts before receiving clearance to play on Tuesday. The former Baylor guard overcame some early inconsistency in his return, but eventually settled into the game and put a rough start behind him. He played a key role for the team down the stretch and made several crucial plays to help the Sixers get by the Wizards. After picking up their first win, the Sixers return to action on Wednesday (8 p.m. EDT, ESPN) and will wrap up their stay in the desert on Friday (6 p.m. EDT, NBA TV).
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
76ers have new version of Jimmy Butler? Paul George has bold thoughts about rookie VJ Edgecombe
Despite being open about his hope of Ace Bailey potentially landing with the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2025 NBA Draft, Paul George seems to be very impressed by the player they took instead, VJ Edgecombe. Assuming their top players can stay healthy, the 76ers are hoping to get back to being a playoff team and force in the East next season. That is why the organization was willing to take on a talented project in Edgecombe in June. Advertisement While he will not be expected to make a huge impact immediately, George seems to believe he already has the skills to make a difference as a rookie. And compared to him to one of the best winning players of the last decade. 'He got that dog in him. Watching him, it was like watching a young Jimmy,' George said on 'Podcast P with Paul George.' 'He moves like Jimmy. Kind of has that mid-range tenacity. He's kind of got a lot of the Jimmy likeness to him, so he's definitely going to be good.' Related: Philadelphia 76ers lose potential Paul George trade partner after this blockbuster deal In his Summer League debut, oddly enough against Bailey and the Utah Jazz, Edgecombe immediately had a strong performance. Posting 28 points and 10 boards. That performance really impressed the nine-time All-Star, and he offered even more praise for the young guard. Advertisement 'He was able to get to his midi, able to see space on the floor, and was spacing behind the 3-point line. He was attacking in transition. Like there's just so much space for guys when you cross over from college to the NBA,' he said. 'And I thought he put it all out on display. He showed flashes of stardom. I love the poise and patience in the pick and roll,' he added. 'That's not something that comes natural. Especially for young guys that aren't point guards. I saw him reading when to come off fast. Getting downhill, he's got his little Patton one-two spin turnaround jumper. I thought he had a great showing. Like enough for Philly to shut him down, the rest of the summer league.' Related: Quentin Grimes may have priced himself out of Philadelphia 76ers' range Related Headlines
