Justin

Edwards

The former Kentucky Wildcat went undrafted despite being expected to be a top pick before last season. He ended up landing with the 76ers this summer, and he played well in this game after struggling in his first Summer League appearance. It wasn’t enough to get the win, but it was encouraging to see him play well. He will likely spend most of this upcoming season in the G-League, but this could end up being an excellent pickup for Philly in the long run.

A 6-foot-6, 209-pound wing, Edwards played one season at Kentucky before deciding to enter the 2024 NBA Draft. While he did start 30 of the 32 games he appeared in, the Philadelphia native averaged 21.4 minutes per game, a byproduct of the Wildcats’ surplus of young perimeter talent. Edwards shot a respectable 36.5% from three on 2.7 attempts per game, and his free-throw percentage (77.6%) suggests that he can develop into a dependable perimeter shooter in time. That said, he did not test well athletically at the NBA Draft Combine, which was a bit surprising given what he showed during his lone season at Kentucky. Edwards has the potential to develop into a solid 3-and-D wing, but patience will be required. Edwards was expected to go early in the draft before last season, so it was surprising to see him go undrafted. However, Philadelphia doesn’t have many players under contract right now, so there is a chance that he plays a decent-sized role next season. Still, it is more likely that he spends a lot of time in the G-League.