VJ Edgecombe becoming 3rd pick at the NBA draft produces reaction from former Villanova HC Jay Wright: “Go Sixers”

Former Villanova coach Jay Wright expressed his excitement for the Philadelphia 76ers after the team picked Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe as its first pick in the 2025 NBA draft on Wednesday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The two-time national champion, who currently works as Villanova's special assistant to the president and CBS Sports' college basketball analyst, couldn't hide his appreciation for the 76ers' executives who made this pick possible.

"Love this pick ! Talent - competitiveness - character ! Go @sixers." said Wright on X.

Edgecombe comes to Philadelphia as a high-leaping guard who had an excellent one-and-done season with Baylor. He played and started for 33 games with the Bears and averaged 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per contest.

The Bahamian guard shot 43.6%, including 34.0% from the 3-pointers, and made 78.2% of his attempts from the free-throw line.

Draft scouts see Edgecombe as an explosive athlete who has considerable upside as a defender. However, he needs to develop his perimeter game to complement his feel for the game.

He's expected to team up with Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain on the 76ers' backcourt and could play spot minutes as a wing if Paul George takes a respite. He can also chase long balls and throw them down for a dunk with his above-the-rim skills.

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Oklahoma City almost had VJ Edgecombe if not for Philadelphia's pick protection option

The Philadelphia 76ers could've lost VJ Edgecombe to the Oklahoma City Thunder due to the Al Horford-Danny Green trade they had five years ago. However, the 76ers retained the pick as it was Top-6 protected.

Philadelphia secured the rights for the third overall selection in the draft lottery after coming in second runner-up to the San Antonio Spurs and the winner, the Dallas Mavericks. The OKC-Philadelphia trade could've materialized if the 76ers went down to the seventh pick or lower.

The coaching staff, led by Nick Nurse, could've picked Rutgers forward Ace Bailey as its third overall pick, but he cancelled a scheduled meeting with the team, paving the 76ers to select Edgecombe as its third overall pick.

Bailey went down to the Utah Jazz as its No. 5 overall. He was a pick lower than Duke standout Kon Knueppel, who was selected by Charlotte as No. 4 overall.

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Was the Philadelphia 76ers right in selecting VJ Edgecombe as No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft? Let us know your insights in the comments section.

Edited by Geoff