When a top three overall recruit in the country signs on to play Kentucky basketball, everyone thinks high draft pick. That wasn’t the case for former blue-chip recruit Justin Edwards. Edwards was on the wrong side of history when he became the first top-three recruit to go undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft. This is even more daunting when considering the 2024 NBA draft class was widely regarded as weak. In Edward’s mind though, all this was a mistake. In an interview with Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Edwards reportedly stated,
“I feel like I was the best player in the draft.”
Considering Edward’s undrafted status in this NBA draft class, this is certainly a bold claim that most won’t take seriously. Let’s dive into just how we arrived at this point in his career.
Former UK Guard Feels He Was ‘Best Player In The 2024]Draft’
Kentucky Blues
Edwards entered his freshman season as the number three overall recruit in a loaded Kentucky class. To be fair, Edwards isn’t the only Kentucky enrollee to not have lived up to expectations. Both Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham were top-ten picks, but of the five freshmen, they were the lowest ranked. Point guard D.J. Wagner and center Aaron Bradshaw were the fourth and sixth overall recruits in the country alongside Edwards. Unlike Edwards though, they did not enter the NBA draft and have transferred to other schools.
For Edwards, many thought he would be a superstar wing who scored at all three levels and competed defensively. Edwards stands at six-foot-seven and close to 210 pounds. He ended his freshman season averaging 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game. His percentages weren’t all that bad as he shot 48.6 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from three. Even still, this is certainly a far cry from someone who’s claiming best player in the draft status. Let’s look at more reasonable expectations. With a seemingly mediocre season, is it reasonable to think Edwards should have been at least one of the 58 selections?
Tough Business
The NBA is the best league in the world, and players who don’t project as stars need to fit a role or coveted archetype. In short, Edwards as an NBA draft prospect simply doesn’t fit any coveted role at the NBA level at this stage. For Edwards, his best-desired archetype given his size and abilities would be as a ‘3-and-D’ wing. These players are complimentary pieces on any team because they are floor spacers with plus shooting on offense, and can guard the opposing team’s best perimeter players on defense. The more versatile and talented players are offensively and defensively, it usually correlates with higher draft stock. Is Edwards the right fit for this coveted NBA draft archetype?
So as the stats indicated above, Edwards was a middling offensive player. He didn’t shoot terribly from the floor, but he didn’t shoot anything spectacular either. He was also very inconsistent throughout the season and could be labeled as streaky at best. Okay, so maybe defense was his calling card? Edwards struggled to make any significant impact on the floor defensively and was rarely matched up with the opposing teams’ best player. To make matters worse, Edwards posted a 12.07 lane agility time at the NBA draft combine. This was good for dead last out of all participants. Seven-foot-two and 280-pound big man Donovan Clingan posted a better time as did seven-foot-four 300-pound Zach Edey.
These flaws are even more apparent when compared to Edward’s teammate Sheppard. Sheppard provided one of the best statistical seasons in recent memory. Sheppard shot a blistering 52.1 percent from deep while also averaging 2.5 steals per game. This performance earned him the number three overall selection because his impact on winning basketball was clear.
The Last Word on Justin Edwards
Confidence in one’s self and their abilities is always encouraging. However, Edwards’ statement regarding his standing in this NBA draft class just isn’t anywhere close to the truth. As a below-average athlete who isn’t considered a primary playmaker, there’s just no evidence that Edwards would thrive in a reduced role either. It isn’t a foregone conclusion and over for Edwards’ career though. He signed a two-way contract with his hometown Philadelphia 76ers, and he will hope to grow into a valuable asset. It may seem far-fetched at this moment, but at least we know he has confidence.
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