Edwards #1 projected pick 2024 NBA Draft( The Athletic)

[Sejonesy]

Sam Vecenie is well respected. Look for a big year from Edwards.

Justin Edwards No. 1 in The Athletic's NBA Mock Draft

Kentucky freshman guard Justin Edwards is No. 1 in The Athletic’s new 2024 NBA Mock Draft, with DJ Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw also making the list.

www.on3.com

 

[NociHTTP]

Not that again 🤣

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Not that again 🤣

???

 

[Lempface]

I'm not seeing it personally. I think he'll be really good for UK but #1 pick? I remember watching Wall and KAT and Davis, and you just could see the dominance of those guys coming in from their highlight vids and all star game appearances. While I don't think it's impossible for him to blow up CBB and go #1, his current reel of footage doesn't spark that in my mind.

 

[Sparkaces1]

I'm not seeing it personally. I think he'll be really good for UK but #1 pick? I remember watching Wall and KAT and Davis, and you just could see the dominance of those guys coming in from their highlight vids and all star game appearances. While I don't think it's impossible for him to blow up CBB and go #1, his current reel of footage doesn't spark that in my mind.

He's the prototype of what the NBA is looking for these days, it'll prob come down to his three point %.

 

[cawoodsct]

He’s gone, so may as well be picked to go #1

 

[G-PIP]

What I like about this is that it appears that Vecenie is making this prediction based, at least in part, on how well he expects Edwards to play THIS season at UK.

Usually, these projected NBA draft positions for incoming freshmen seem to have as about as much to do with how well the guy plays in his one season at UK as what color of shoes he wears. This is because those projections almost always seem to be based on theoretical projection – e.g., size, athleticism, and assumptions that skill level will improve with time.

 

[UKAlum88]

Based on potential alone, he’s a top 5-10 pick. It will come down to how well he shoots the ball on where exactly he will land inside the top 10, IMO.

 

[westerncat]

I hope he goes # 1 because he is a one and done anyways.

 

[Riddickulis]

What was this guy's last few years of number one pick projections is he very good

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I hope he goes # 1 because he is a one and done anyways.

And if he goes #1 than that means he had a pretty dang good season. Brandon Miller was #2 and he gave Alabama 18pts and 8rebounds. I'll take that type of production all day.. and it likely means Kentucky is a top5 team for the season.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

I think Edwards is a lot better than people realize.

I think the performance we saw in the gold medal game is going to be a lot closer to what this kid is capable of on a more regular basis.

 

[westerncat]

I think Edwards is a lot better than people realize.

I think the performance we saw in the gold medal game is going to be a lot closer to what this kid is capable of on a more regular basis.

I think he is the best SF we have had in many years and I agree with the performance in the gold medal game. He is only going to get better as the season goes on. Really like his game.

 

[Smashcat]

He’s awfully good. I’d like to see it happen. As always, stay healthy, young man.

 

[Ukgold]

I can see it,he finished 3rd in RSCI. He has the tools and Attitude.

 

[cats#1again]

I think Edwards is a lot better than people realize.

I think the performance we saw in the gold medal game is going to be a lot closer to what this kid is capable of on a more regular basis.

Our fans think if a guy misses from 3 he isn't very good.
If Edwards had made 2 more 3s a game he would be talked about as sec player of the year. 2 more a game. Smh

 

[blackcat714]

Can’t wait to see him drafted “its all about the draft “ greatest night in UK basketball about time we got back to number one.

 

[NociHTTP]

Can’t wait to see him drafted “its all about the draft “ greatest night in UK basketball about time we got back to number one.

No, draft night is not the greatest night in UK basketball unless you're someone who hides on the bench with a boo boo to protek your draft status, or some NBA gambling goofball who only cares about the draft picks passing GO at UK. UK fans are about the team being #1.

 

[kyjeff1]

Kid oozes max deal potential. Kudos to him, doesn't do UK a lick of good, but the Edwards family will surely benefit.

Funny thing is, Edwards could go #1 and we could have 3 more lottery picks, but the clowns on here will blame the players when we go 23-10 and are ousted in the sweet 16.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Can’t wait to see him drafted “its all about the draft “ greatest night in UK basketball about time we got back to number one.

Such an original joke- this is the kind of top-notch comedy I have been missing in my life lately. Definitely the first time this joke has been made on this board and we're all so happy you brought it here.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Edwards -1st Rd
Wagner-1st Rd
Ivisic -1st Rd

Fringe 1st Rd-
Bradshaw
Sheppard
Reeves
Mitchell

Its absolutely possible that UK could have 7 go 1st rd next yr.

 

[bucsrule8872]

Edwards -1st Rd
Wagner-1st Rd
Ivisic -1st Rd

Fringe 1st Rd-
Bradshaw
Sheppard
Reeves
Mitchell

It’s absolutely possible that UK could have 7 go 1st rd next yr.

No way Reeves and Mitchell are first rounders. They probably go undrafted.

They will be key players for us, though.

 

[PensacolaBlue]

Just don’t see him going number 1. Top 10 maybe but not number 1. I could be totally wrong, but I’ve always thought he was a little overrated. Hope I’m wrong.

 

[bcox13]

I think Edwards is a lot better than people realize.

I think the performance we saw in the gold medal game is going to be a lot closer to what this kid is capable of on a more regular basis.

Why don't you think a lot of people realize it?

Side note- what area of Tampa? I grew up in Brandon, live in Plant City now

 

[kyjeff1]

Why do you guys care so much that these guys are getting drafted? Are you thinking this somehow means UK is going to be good?

 

[DreadLox]

There were a couple of players in those Spring All-Star games who showed up better than Edwards. Don't know how that measures over the long run. Nobody does. Click bait articles are click bait.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Why do you guys care so.much that these guys are getting drafted? Are you thinking this somehow means UK is going to be good?

I think so, yeah. The last 3 players to go #1 were KAT, Davis, and Wall, and all 3 got us a lot of wins and generally pretty great results in March. Those years also had players follow them fairly close in the draft, which also helped.

I think we have one of those years coming up. Sure, I'm still skeptical of Cal for a few reasons. But the talent is there. I can't see this team losing 10 games unless Cal really refuses to change or we run into injury.

But generally, when we have a top3 type of player in college.. we do pretty well. I think any team, really.. does pretty well with that type of talent

 

[kyjeff1]

There were a couple of players in those Spring All-Star games who showed up better than Edwards. Don't know how that measures over the long run. Nobody does. Click bait articles are click bait.

What most people on this board don't understand is, draft picks don't mean crap when it comes to college basketball. It just indicates that, in the future, those players are going to be really good… .in the NBA, not college, the NBA.

The kids that do well in college, are the ones you usually see in the 2nd round, or not drafted at all.

This is year 14 of this NBA farm system we are running, Cal has put about fifty guys in the NBA, most were first rounders and a bunch were lottery picks, we have 1 title in that timeframe.

We have also missed the tournament twice, all but one of our NCAAT losses have been to underdogs and we suffered the worst season in program history with 3 guys on the squad that were thought to be first rounders, Boston and Clarke were projected lottery picks.

I can't believe so many people are still falling for this.

 

[kyjeff1]

I think so, yeah. The last 3 players to go #1 were KAT, Davis, and Wall, and all 3 got us a lot of wins and generally pretty great results in March. Those years also had players follow them fairly close in the draft, which also helped.

I think we have one of those years coming up. Sure, I'm still skeptical of Cal for a few reasons. But the talent is there. I can't see this team losing 10 games unless Cal really refuses to change or we run into injury.

But generally, when we have a top3 type of player in college.. we do pretty well. I think any team, really.. does pretty well with that type of talent

I really hope you're right. But then I look at the projections of Boston and Clarke heading into the 20/21 season and I look at all the guys that got drafted from that 17/18 team and I shake my head, because we're falling for the bait again.
I get it, it's hard to see these guys losing 10 games, but ever since 2016, the game changed to where the teams that win, are the ones loaded with juniors and seniors that are fundamentally sound and play well together. This team is too young and when they leave for the draft, we're going to be left with nothing again.

 

[AGEE11]

Why do you guys care so much that these guys are getting drafted? Are you thinking this somehow means UK is going to be good?

Cal has had 3 #1 draft picks. National Title, Final 4 that was undefeated, Elite 8 extremely fun year. Those are all good for UK.

I get it's easy to throw the same Cal can't coach ideals out there over and over. I seriously doubt him. But this is the kind of them he has done extremely well with here. It's a top class of quality, not just quantity.

 

[AGEE11]

Such an original joke- this is the kind of top-notch comedy I have been missing in my life lately. Definitely the first time this joke has been made on this board and we're all so happy you brought it here.

 

[kyjeff1]

Cal has had 3 #1 draft picks. National Title, Final 4 that was undefeated, Elite 8 extremely fun year. Those are all good for UK.

I get it's easy to throw the same Cal can't coach ideals out there over and over. I seriously doubt him. But this is the kind of them he has done extremely well with here. It's a top class of quality, not just quantity.

This is the kind if team he did well with from 09-15. The game has changed since then.
I hope I'm wrong and if I am, I will be on here telling everyone I was wrong, but again, just because we have 1st round draft picks on the roster, doesn't mean we're going to be any good.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I really hope you're right. But then I look at the projections of Boston and Clarke heading into the 20/21 season and I look at all the guys that got drafted from that 17/18 team and I shake my head, because we're falling for the bait again.
I get it, it's hard to see these guys losing 10 games, but ever since 2016, the game changed to where the teams that win, are the ones loaded with juniors and seniors that are fundamentally sound and play well together. This team is too young and when they leave for the draft, we're going to be left with nothing again.

Oh I'm certainly making no guarantees, and I think anyone here would be crazy to just "assume" that Cal has figured this out and were back to the pre-2015 days.

But I do think when Cal has his talent, things generally work out well. BJ, I think we can all say was a bust, and Clarke, for however talented hi might have been.. he only played 20% of the season. I almost don't think we can include him in this discussion, no?

 

[WallMashKyBall]

I'm big on Edwards but he does not strike me as a 17 to 20 point average this season. More like 14 in 20 plus minutes a game. So it's hard for me to see him going #1, but all for it, I do think he should be a top ten pick.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Why don't you think a lot of people realize it?

Side note- what area of Tampa? I grew up in Brandon, live in Plant City now

I think because they just haven't seen him play enough, and he's not as "flashy" as some of the studs we've had in the past in his highlight video (John Wall, Fox, etc.).

Think he is just a crazy, steady, solid dude who can do it all and fill it up in a bunch of different areas. Think he'll be the 2nd best wing that Cal has had at Kentucky behind MKG.

Also- that's awesome! I grew up off Bearss Ave but now I live in Seminole Heights close to downtown.

 

[NociHTTP]

Why do you guys care so much that these guys are getting drafted? Are you thinking this somehow means UK is going to be good?

It's literally what they live for. The NBA. UK is not something they're particularly concerned about.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I'm big on Edwards but he does not strike me as a 17 to 20 point average this season. More like 14 in 20 plus minutes a game. So it's hard for me to see him going #1, but all for it, I do think he should be a top ten pick.

To be fair.. a lot of our best guys weren't scoring 17+ppg.. Wall, Davis and KAT were all less than that.

 

[Sparkaces1]

Oh I'm certainly making no guarantees, and I think anyone here would be crazy to just "assume" that Cal has figured this out and were back to the pre-2015 days.

But I do think when Cal has his talent, things generally work out well. BJ, I think we can all say was a bust, and Clarke, for however talented hi might have been.. he only played 20% of the season. I almost don't think we can include him in this discussion, no?

In general if we have a player that's a top 5 player, that is a pretty good indication the season went well, the problem the last couple of years is UK has only had one prospect that was even 1st round caliber. I don't know why people see it as a negative, it is good to have what the NBA scouts perceive as the most talented kid in college. And by the way, there is another mock draft that has Bradshaw as Number 1.

 

[Creed Bratton]

Edwards -1st Rd
Wagner-1st Rd
Ivisic -1st Rd

Fringe 1st Rd-
Bradshaw
Sheppard
Reeves
Mitchell

Its absolutely possible that UK could have 7 go 1st rd next yr.

I love Reed but let's pump the brakes on him being a first round pick until we see what he can do against top competition.

 

[Runnin'Ramel]

Reeves - he is a dime/dozen scorer that can find a role in the NBA, but he'll do so earning it through summer league as a second round pick at best no matter when he leaves college. Mulder is a pro. Reeves can be a pro. But he's not going to be a first round pick unless he is a NPOY / 1st Team AA type and even that isn't a guarantee - look at Oscar and Edey (different for bigs, but still). The NBA knows who Reeves is and what he brings to the league, and he wasn't even a solid 2nd rounder after leading UK as a scorer.

Bradshaw - the foot issue is a real problem for him ... but that doesn't mean he won't go lottery if he has a great year. Let's just hope he crushes it. Klutch won't let him have a second college season, regardless, so let's just hope we get the most out of his talent for the season he wears the UK uniform. I think he ends up a first round pick on potential if nothing else, unless the foot keeps him out of games this season.

Edwards - he's going to have to take over games, show a killer mindset, and become an alpha at times. That's what Gilchrist did when the others weren't on top of their games. Remember Gilchrist against Louisville at Rupp? Crushed it. That type of game is what made him a #2 pick. Edwards will have to show that ability to truly be a #1 pick candidate. Very deferential to DJ early on ... saw it in the McDonalds game, too. But this likely changes with confidence.

Wagner - is he just a volume scorer? If so, he's a bit undersized for the NBA and without a reliable 3-pt shot, he's not a lock to be a lottery pick as others expected the last few years. I can't imagine a scenario where he falls outside the top 20, though.