The ping pong balls of basketball have spoken — and the Charlotte Hornets will be selecting fourth in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. For a fanbase that has endured years of underachievement and one that certainly expected a chance at No. 1 prospect Cooper Flagg, missing out on a top-three pick may feel like yet another disappointment. However, selecting fourth is hardly a disaster, especially if the Hornets play their cards right.
Hornets have the opportunity to select top Baylor prospect
Projected mock drafts have predicted that an opportunity could come in the form of VJ Edgecombe, a freshman guard out of Baylor University who has the tools to become an “immediate impact” player for the Hornets.
Standing at 6’5’’ with a 6’7.5’’ wingspan and a 38.5-inch vertical recorded at the NBA Combine, Edgecombe has the physical profile to excel in the modern NBA. During his season at Baylor, he displayed his all-around game, averaging 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on 44% shooting.
Something that has truly set him apart on paper is his defensive prowess—his 2.1 steals per game have marked him as one of the premier defensive guards in college basketball this past season.
When asked about what kind of player an NBA team would be getting in him, Edgecombe did not hesitate to emphasize how willing he is to lay it all out there on the court.
“They will get a two-way player, man. Someone that’s coming in, day one, ready to play, ready to hoop,” Edgecombe said. “[Someone] that’s gonna play with all his heart …represent that program, that jersey with pride.”
Those are the words of a player who is confident in his ability to contribute immediately, and for the Hornets, that mentality could be a game-changer.
There is also more to the young Baylor prospect than meets the eye. Too often labeled as just a defender or a high-flying dunker, Edgecombe himself believes that his true potential has yet to be unleashed.
This level of self-awareness is critical for a young player entering the league. Edgecombe’s ceiling is truly unpredictable, and his perception of the game is a critical aspect to expand his skillset.
