The Philadelphia 76ers picked up VJ Edgecombe with the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he’s already drawn comparisons to one of the best scorers of all time, Stephen Curry.
With the third pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers defied the assumption that they would pick Ace Bailey, instead nabbing slasher VJ Edgecombe.
Edgecombe averaged 15 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in college and was touted as the very best athlete in the draft class. Already an elite slasher with an NBA frame, Edgecombe looks like a larger Ja Morant or Russell Westbrook when he gets a full head of steam, although he has been compared to one of the NBA’s best shooters, not slashers.
Despite making only 34% of his 3-point attempts in college, Edgecombe has one glaring similarity with Stephen Curry, who plays an entirely different offensive game.
Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty ImagesVJ Edgecombe was compared to Stephen Curry
In college, Edgecombe was an All-Big 12 player who everyone knew would spend only one year in the NCAA. He also represented the Bahamas in international play, suiting up next to NBA stars Deandre Ayton, Eric Gordon, and Buddy Hield.
At Davidson, Curry was an All-American in two of his three seasons, but his lack of size and frequent injuries diminished his NBA stock. In short, Curry was a very good college player, but he was not expected to be an all-time great.
While Curry and Edgecombe have vastly different offensive games, the intangible that made Curry great will also elevate Edgecombe.
“Don’t play with this kid now,” warned ESPN’s Marc J. Spears. “He’s the real deal. I’ve been watching him since the hoop summit, and he has a little Steph in him in terms of like quiet confidence. But when he gets going like he’s going to be a star in this league, but he still has those Bahamian roots where he’s going to keep being motivated and prove people wrong.”
On top of the legendary shooting, Curry’s “quiet confidence” and killer instinct have made him a legend, and Edgecombe has the same skills
Edgecombe won’t shoot like Curry but he might be the same type of winner
When Curry was in college, he shot 41.2% on nearly five more attempts from deep than Edgecombe. Scouts knew that if he got open, he could be deadly, although there were doubts about his ability to create separation.
Edgecombe does not shoot at the same clip as Curry, but there is no doubt that he can force his way to his spot.
In international play, he made it clear that he wants to be and can be a winner. For the 76ers, who missed the playoffs last year and are in a bit of a freefall despite their undeniable talents, adding a player with the correct mindset might be enough to set them back on the right path.