VJ Edgecombe to the Charlotte Hornets? - Scouting Report Notes
Access James Plowright's personal scouting notes for projected Top 5 pick VJ Edgecombe
For the first time, I’m sharing my personal scouting notes exclusively for Buzz Beat+ subscribers, focusing on the top prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft class. Each profile is divided into strengths and weaknesses, with detailed subsections—such as shooting, playmaking, defense, and more.
After publishing my scouting notes on Ace Bailey, the Bahamian shooting guard VJ Edgecombe is next up, who currently ranks 5th on my board. Since lottery night, Edgecombe has consistently been Charlotte's most commonly projected pick, as reflected in my consensus mock draft. That’s led me to dive deeper into his game than almost any other prospect in this class—I’ve watched a ton of Edgecombe film and have a strong handle on what he brings on the court.
What the scouting report won’t fully capture is Edgecombe’s intangibles and meteoric rise as a prospect. He went from being unranked as a sophomore to earning five-star status late in high school, yet his high-impact, off-ball style of play has remained consistent throughout. Sam Vecenie described him on the Game Theory podcast as an “incredible worker” and a “high-character guy you want in your development program.” Former college coach Tom Crean, speaking on the NBA Draft Show, praised Edgecombe’s dramatic improvement as a shooter in high school, crediting his work ethic and mindset. Add in a 3.8 GPA, and you have a player who is smart, serious, and mature.
If the Hornets are serious about building around LaMelo Ball long-term, Edgecombe could be a strong fit. Slotted between Ball and Brandon Miller, he projects as a potential high-level on-ball defender in the mold of Lu Dort or OG Anunoby. His speed, athleticism, and transition finishing would inject much-needed pace into Charlotte’s sluggish offense. Off the ball, he’s equally effective — Edgecombe shot 43% on open catch and shoot threes and converted 75% of his cuts at Baylor.
The key question: Does a player who flashes shades of a better-shooting Josh Hart, or the versatility of a Derrick White or Alex Caruso, justify a No. 4 overall selection, especially on a team still sorting out its high-usage offensive core? And perhaps more critically: will Edgecombe’s defense truly translate to the level of those elite perimeter stoppers? While his defensive highlights are undeniably electric, the possession-to-possession tape shows a more concerning story, something I break down in more detail in the scouting notes below.