From top prospect to out of the first round, is Justin Edwards worth the risk?
The first round of the 2024 NBA draft saw 22 college basketball stars land with new professional homes – including a pair of Kentucky Wildcats in Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham, who went No. 3 and No. 8 to Houston and Minnesota, respectively.
Dillingham and Sheppard incredibly were ranked fourth and fifth among Kentucky recruits in the 2023 class, highlighting the ridiculous talent John Calipari brought to Lexington in his final season with the Wildcats.
The top name in the class was Aaron Bradshaw, who returned to school and transferred to Ohio State, while the third ranked member of the class, DJ Wagner, followed Calipari to Arkansas for his sophomore season.
The second ranked player, Justin Edwards, also declared for the NBA draft after his freshman season – but after the first round ended he was still waiting to hear his name called.
Edwards did not deliver as expected for the ‘Cats last year, averaging under nine points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He showed very little facilitation skills and was inconsistent on both ends of the floor – although the outside shooting and athleticism are present enough for a rebuilding team to give him a look, likely early in Round 2 on Thursday.
Below is a look at Edwards’ draft profile, including his measurements at the combine, strengths and weaknesses as a player, and team fits in the NBA:
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