By 2024 NBA Draftwe take a closer look at the various Liberty Ballers prospects and determine which players would be the best fit for the team. Sixers 16th and 41st. The next in the series is Justin Edwards of Kentucky.
Justin Edwards was named Pennsylvania's Mr. Basketball in 2023 after leading Imhotep to back-to-back state championships. Edwards, a Philadelphia native, joins Camden's DJ Wagner as part of another impressive class of freshmen from Kentucky. Edwards was one of the top freshman recruits in the country but had an inconsistent one season with the Wildcats.
profile
2023-24 Stats: 32 games, 21.4 minutes, 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.2 blocks, 48.6% field goal success, 36.5% 3-point success, 77.6% free throw success
team: Kentucky
Year: Freshman
position: wing
Height (without shoes) and weight: 6'6” | 209.4 lbs
to be born: December 16, 2003 (age 20)
home town: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
high school: Imhotep
Strengths
Edwards is an NBA-caliber wing with a 6'6″ wingspan and a 6'10″ wingspan. He has a smooth left-handed stroke and a quick, strong release that allows him to shoot over defenders' heads. His shooting has started slowly, but he is shooting over 46% from three-point range in his last 18 games (on 2.6 attempts per game). He didn't perform well at the Combine, but he has good athleticism on the court. He has also shown good slashing ability and touch around the rim. He has also shown good instincts as a cutter and off-ball mover.
He showed his mettle as an off-ball defender, getting into passing lanes and deflecting passes, and his offensive point defense was excellent in certain matchups, using his height to trouble smaller opponents.
Weaknesses
Edwards, for all his acclaimed talent, was often inconsistent. It's fair to wonder if that was because Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham (both projected to be high first-round picks) were more prominent than Edwards, or if it was a bigger issue. Either way, Edwards was often lost in the shuffle last season, with lefties dominating drives and not much playmaking from others.
Defensively, I worry that his lack of elite athleticism will show up. He was productive as an on-ball defender, but looked stiff against more agile players. That's something he can improve on, but it will take work.
Position Fit
Edwards is clearly a wing. It remains to be seen what type of wing he will be. His shooting stroke should be good enough for the NBA. How he develops the rest of his game — ball-handling, playmaking, defense — will determine his role at the next level.
Draft Plan
Round 2
This seems like the type of guy that Daryl Morey would draft. Looking at his draft record, it seems like he doesn't draft players based on position fit or immediate availability. He will likely draft the best player available with the most potential. Edwards is a guy you can be confident in because big wings with shooting ability never go out of style in the NBA.
