Last night, the Baylor Bears lost a close one to the TCU Horned Frogs, a microcosm of a season where the team has struggled to rebound the ball and score at the rim.

One player who has stood out despite all of these problems has been freshman guard VJ Edgecombe, who has scored double-digit points in each of his last four games. He put up 18 points as well as recording four rebounds and four assists in the loss to the Horned Frogs, and was the most effective perimeter player for the Bears on the evening.

Edgecombe has been criticized this year for not living up to his five-star potential, which boils down to a couple of factors. For one, he’s been inconsistent shooting the three-ball; he’s at just 31.8% for the year, which is a problem for an undersized off-guard prospect. The second problem is his shooting off of the bounce, which has also not been great.

What he lacks in prowess shooting the ball he makes up for with his other abilities, those being rebounding at 6-foot-4, connective playmaking, driving the basketball, athleticism, and motor. His defense is also a strength – Edgecombe is averaging 3.3 stocks per game this season, and of this, nearly a full block per game despite his stature. His instincts on this end of the floor really raise his ceiling as far as NBA Draft stock goes, and because he can be a true defensive force, he can be put in lineups in which undersized guards are typically not played.

The body control also stands out, as he can finish through contact by contorting his body in order to make shots at weird angles. He can also power home dunks, and his foot speed leads to his being a real threat in transition. His leaping ability and quickness, including first-step burst, separate him from many of his peers in that he can simply beat opposing defenders off of the dribble at will.

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