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The Philadelphia 76ers selected V.J. Edgecombe with the No. 3 pick Wednesday night in the NBA Draft.

Edgecombe, 19, averaged 15 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists for Baylor in his only collegiate season. The 6-foot-5 guard finished the season ranked second among Baylor players in points and assists, and third in rebounds. He shot 34 percent from 3, hit half of his 2-pointers, and made 78 percent of his free throws. His biggest impact was on defense, where he led Baylor with an average of 2.1 steals and was third in blocks with 0.6 per game.

“That would mean a lot,” he said about winning in Philadelphia. “It’s been a minute since they won, so being the final piece to put them over the hump would mean a lot to me, the fans, the owners.”

A freshman from Bimini in the Bahamas, Edgecombe entered the draft after starting 33 of the Bears’ 35 games this season. Their season ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with an 89-66 blowout loss to Duke. Edgecombe also competed in four games for the Bahamian national team during the 2024 FIBA Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, where he averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

On what his public persona will be in Philadelphia, he said: “I don’t know yet, but I’ll definitely interact with the fans in Philly. It’s my new home. Get to know people out there, interact with the fans give back … Just give the love in Philly.”

How Edgecombe fits with the 76ers

He’s the best vertical athlete in the draft. He is already a plus defender, at a young age. He is grading out as an A-plus professional, judging by his predraft workout interviews. It’s a good package for the Sixers, who add a dynamic talent to their backcourt for the second consecutive season.

Does that work out as well as Jared McCain did last season? Philadelphia certainly hopes so.

With the No. 3 pick, Edgecombe proved to have the best blend of high floor and high ceiling of any of the players in his draft tier. His athleticism is truly elite, and it will immediately translate. His defense should get him on the floor in coach Nick Nurse’s rotation right away. If he hits on his swing skills — shooting and ballhandling — he has a real chance to be a star.

He struggled a bit early in his tenure at Baylor but averaged over 17 points per game over his final 17 games, which shows significant in-season improvement. He became more comfortable off the dribble and is already a good passer. The interesting thing with Edgecombe is that he wants to be a point guard. If he gets there, the Sixers have made a very good pick.

Initially, he combines with McCain, all-star Tyrese Maxey and Quentin Grimes, a restricted free agent, to form a dynamic backcourt. Each of the four have different strengths: McCain is an elite movement shooter, Grimes is the one who will generate rim pressure, Maxey is as dynamic as almost any guard in the Eastern Conference, and Edgecombe’s defense and athleticism are two skills the Sixers have long lacked.

It makes for a potentially seamless fit. —Tony Jones, NBA staff writer

Draft guide summary

Edgecombe is one of the safest prospects in the draft. He’s an elite athlete functionally on the court, and his defense is genuinely tremendous. He is disruptive all over the court on the defensive end and makes opposing players’ lives miserable. On offense, Edgecombe is a shooter off the catch who started to show an ability to knock down shots from 3 off movement. He also knows how to cut and play off the ball well, as we’ve seen in a variety of situations. His mentality to do whatever helps the team most also projects well into his being a positive-value player who helps winning basketball teams throughout his career.

Ultimately, Edgecombe’s upside will be tied to whatever level you think he can reach on the ball. Do you buy into his work ethic enough to think he will become a player who can create advantages at the NBA level with his athleticism? Right now, there is a bit of a skill deficit when it comes to handling the ball and shooting pull-ups. He’s also not that nuanced in ball screens. I’ve been using the comparison of Gary Harris if you attached a jet pack to him throughout the season for Edgecombe. That player is probably a top-40 player in the NBA at his ceiling, given that Harris, without this level of athleticism, had a three-year stretch in Denver in which he averaged 15 points, three rebounds and three assists on 47/39/80 shooting splits while getting All-Defense votes in two of those three years. I might be a touch lower than the consensus on Edgecombe’s ceiling. Still, a top-40 player projection that I feel is relatively safe makes Edgecombe a top-five player in this class. — Sam Vecenie

From the Draft Confidential

Western Conference executive No. 2: “I think he’s more like Cam Thomas than an All-Pro player or something like that. But Edgecombe, to me, has more upside (than Thomas). I like him better offensively — athletically. I like him better defensively. I think he’s more of a versatile, all-around player than Cam is. Probably a little more playmaking. … This kid’s going to score in his own right, too. He isn’t going to be a 12-point-a-game scorer or anything. He’s athletic as hell, so he’s going to get out on the break and get some points there. He’ll do some driving in the half court and get some points there, get fouled. And guys with that profile who weren’t just horrendous offensive players in college but who are highly athletic and work at it, they get better offensively in the league. You’ve got unlimited opportunities to work on your game. Everybody’s got practice facilities and the code to get back in. … I’m not saying he’s going to be a perennial All-Pro player, but I think he’ll be pretty good. And I’d be surprised if he failed.”

College general manager: “From the jump, he was a super-mature kid. When coaches are talking, eyes on them. Very coachable. Wants to learn. Wants to get better. Never late. First in and last to leave. Just things you have to tell guys — sometimes you’re telling guys who are five- or six-year pros — for him, it came naturally. … Very mature, but there were some things (in FIBA competition) he wasn’t used to, the physicality. If the team has direction and has leadership, he’ll be fine. He’ll be everything they want and more. He’s such a good kid, and he’s coachable. At Baylor, they were so quiet at the offensive end in the first half. And in the second half, he just takes over.”

Western Conference scout No. 1: “From the end of the season until now, his jumper has gotten better. It was flat during the year. … When he came to Chicago and shot, I was like, ‘Whoa.’ He doesn’t have that flat shot no more. He’s gonna be all right. Because he’s so athletic. He can handle the rock and pass the ball. I’m not comparing him to Ant (Anthony Edwards), but whoever gets him is gonna be surprised how he can put the ball on the floor and make plays for others. Look at him at Baylor. He wasn’t hogging. He wasn’t even the main offense. He was scoring, shot it OK. But he always made passes and made plays for others. And he can defend. I think he can guard twos and ones. He’s a combo. Second-side ballhandler. I think he’ll be able to guard ones and twos easy. And then later against certain threes, if they go small-ball three. He can guard 6-6 guys — some of them. And he’s not gonna back down. He’s a tough kid, comes from a tough area.”

Eastern Conference executive No. 1: “To me, I think he could be the second-best player in this draft. He’s a little raw basketball-experience-wise, but he’s a great kid. Stephon Castle was rookie of the year. The biggest reason was he was able to defend right away. This guy can do the same thing. He’s not a bad shooter.” — David Aldridge

(Photo: Zachary Taft / Imagn Images)