With the first night of the draft two weeks away, V.J. Edgecombe appears to be in good position to be selected with the third pick, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required).
Sources tell Fischer that the Baylor guard impressed Sixers officials with his “work ethic, personality and interviews” during a visit to Philadelphia last week. He went to dinner with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and other team executives, and star guard Tyrese Maxey flew in to meet with Edgecombe.
Fischer states that the Sixers view Edgecombe as a strong defensive complement to Maxey in their backcourt. He also brings obvious offensive skills after scoring 15.0 points per game and shooting 34% from three-point range during his freshman season with the Bears.
Sources tell Fischer that the Philadelphia workout is believed to be the only one Edgecombe has conducted so far. He adds that some teams believe it will be Edgecombe’s only pre-draft visit, although he could change his mind as the draft gets closer.
Rutgers forward Ace Bailey, who has been linked to the Sixers in several mock drafts, is also scheduling a private workout in Philadelphia, Fischer tweets.
If Edgecombe isn’t taken at No. 3, rival teams believe the Hornets will grab him with the fourth pick or offer the selection to teams looking to move up in the draft, sources tell Fischer.
Fischer identifies the Wizards as a team to watch in a trade-up scenario for Edgecombe, noting that with picks No. 6 and 18, Washington has the assets to swing a deal with either Philadelphia or Charlotte.