By james art The college basketball season is about to begin, and with it, our first look at elite NBA prospects in a regular season college basketball setting.
Although the first week of the season usually features only a handful of title contenders, there is still an abundance of potential talent in the NBA. Below, we’ll take a look at three of those opening games to see potential NBA talent:
This game will be loaded with talented players, including a handful of NBA prospects. VJ Edgecombe, the No. 5 top recruit in the 2024 high school class, was the top player on Long Island Lutheran High School’s all-star roster last season. The Baylor freshman is 6-foot-5, 180 pounds and was also a key player on the Bahamas’ national qualifying team last summer. He averaged 16.5 points, 3.8 assists, 5.5 rebounds (including three offensive rebounds), two steals and 0.5 blocks in four games in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament alongside the likes of Buddy Hield , DeAndre Ayton and Eric Gordon.
Edgecombe is an elite slasher and also excels at attacking closeouts, using both his burst and vertical athleticism. Additionally, he is an explosive player off the ball who is also a capable shooter, making 32.8% of his 3-pointers on 5.3 attempts per game in the 2023-24 EYBL Scholastic season and making 43% of his 3-pointers as a junior it’s LuHi season. Edgecombe is a solid on-ball defender who, despite lacking elite length, makes up for it with effort, physicality and lateral quickness. The 19-year-old guard also offers creating a defensive event up top by picking up pass steals or even racing shots, rotating from the weak side and in transition. Finally, Edgecombe is on a positive trajectory as a ball-handler as well, showing flashes of potential in pick-and-roll situations and as a playmaker.
On Gonzaga’s side of the table, Michael Ajayi is a player to watch. He is a 6-foot-7, 220-pound wing who averaged 17.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks as a junior at Pepperdine last season while posting 50 % of his attempts at the rim (144 attempts), 44.3% of his doubles without the rim, 47% of his threes (83 attempts) and 70.9% of his free throws (165 attempts). While his field goal percentage and free throw percentage could improve, his statistical profile shows legitimate growth as a penetration player this season.
Other players to watch include RJ Nembhard (Gonzaga), Nolan Hickman (Gonzaga), Jason Acemota (Baylor), Rob Wright (Baylor), Joshua Ojianwuna (Baylor), Langston Love (Baylor) and Norchad Omier (Baylor) .
Another two teams loaded with talent, UNC enters this season with two of the top 11 high school recruits for 2024 in Drake Powell and Ian Jackson. Powell is a 6-foot-6, 195-pound defensive-first wing, while Jackson is a skilled 6-foot-4 guard. Other UNC players to watch include 6-foot-1 playmaker guard Elliott Caddo and Belmont transfer Cade Tyson. The 6-foot-7 junior and brother of Hunter Tyson shot a whopping 46.5 percent from beyond the arc last season (172 attempts) and 85.5 percent from the free throw line (83 attempts). Finally, both Seth Trimble and Kerwin Walton should be watched this season as well.
Kansas recruited two of the top 50 players in the 2024 high school class in Flory Bidunga and Raykeys Passmore. Bidunga is a 6-foot-8, 215-pound big man, while Raykeys Passmore is a 6-foot-5, 180-pound guard/wing who shot 35.2 percent from three in the Overtime Elite League last season, 38 percent from three (145 attempts ) his junior season at the Combine Academy and 42 percent from three (97 attempts) his sophomore season in high school. Other players to watch include AJ Storr, Zeke Mayo, KJ Adams and Hunter Dickinson.
Read more: Elliott Caddo Scouting Report
The Baylor Bears will begin their season against two talented teams. As previously mentioned, they play Gonzaga on Monday, November 4th before the Bears host Arkansas on Saturday, November 9th. More information on Baylor players to watch can be found above.
Coach Calipari’s Razorbacks will be forced to adjust this season, with a mix of talented newcomers, transfers from Kentucky, additional transfers and also Trevon Brazile from last year’s Arkansas team.
Adou Thiero is a 6-foot-8 junior at Arkansas who played his previous two seasons at Kentucky. The 6-foot-8, 220-pound wing averaged 7.2 points, five rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.1 blocks in just 21.4 minutes per game this past season. He recorded an eight percent offensive rebounding percentage and a commodity percentage (steal plus block) of seven. Additionally, he made 56.3% of his attempts at the rim (80 attempts), 43.3% of his non-rim doubles (30 attempts) and 32% of his threes (22 attempts). While the finishing numbers could improve, the three-point number isn’t too alarming when combined with his 80% free throw percentage (55 attempts) — the latter a more accurate indicator of NBA three-point percentage than the former. Thiero’s combination of athleticism and production in limited minutes are two positive indicators for a potential breakout season with the Razorbacks.
In addition to Thiero, key players to watch include 7-foot-2 Kentucky transfer Zvonimir Ivicic, freshmen Karter Knox (No. 25 overall), Billy Richmond (No. 27 overall), Boogie Fland (No. 22 overall), transfer in Kentucky DJ Wagner and other talented transfers Johnell Davis and Jonas Aidoo.
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