With less than a month until the 2025 NBA Draft, it’s high time for fans and analysts alike to hyper-analyze every prospect’s tape and measurements. One of the players under the microscope is Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe.
Following the guard’s registration of a 38.5″ vertical jump, social media exploded with opinions and thoughts on his and other prospects’ NBA Draft stock. Fans even argued on Reddit whether the vertical jump is even a good marker for future NBA success.
VJ Edgecombe’s Combine Results Bring Back Memories of Reed Sheppard’s Controversy
The NBA Draft Combine has always been a place where players are measured by both their exceptional level of athleticism, which is why the vertical jump test has become the talk of the town, and their intangibles, like leadership.
Westbrook only had 36.5 inch Vertical at Draft Combine. VJ 38.5 inch. Shows how meaningless the athletic testing is when Reed Sheppard had 40+ inch Vertical and not 1:10th as athletic.
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“[Russell] Westbrook only had 36.5 inch [sic] Vertical at Draft Combine. VJ [Edgecombe] 38.5 inch. Shows how meaningless the athletic testing is when Reed Sheppard had 40+ [sic] inch Vertical and not 1:10th as athletic,” the post reads.
Notably, last year, Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard registered a 40″ vertical jump, an inch-and-a-half better than Edgecombe this year. The poster notes that Edgecombe is way better than Sheppard, so this isn’t exactly a great mark of success.
For context, Russell Westbrook—one of the league’s most explosive athletes—recorded just 36.5 inches at his own combine, further complicating these numbers.
Then you’ve got current North Carolina NBA Draft prospect Drake Powell, a freshman guard who almost hit 43 inches—he actually led his group with that jump. Other big names like Cooper Flagg (who posted 35.5 inches) and Bronny James (with a 40.5-inch vertical) are getting a lot of buzz, too.
Last year, when Sheppard’s result hit social media, Reddit users dissected the numbers. Many pointed out that the vertical leap is calculated by subtracting a player’s standing reach from their maximum jump reach. If a player under-reports their standing reach—by not fully stretching their arms—they can artificially boost their vertical measurement.
This revelation fueled further skepticism about the test’s value. As one Redditor put it, “Shows how meaningless the athletic testing is when Reed Sheppard had 40+ inch Vertical and not 1:10th as athletic [as Westbrook].”
Indeed, Westbrook’s in-game explosiveness and ability to dunk in traffic far outstrip what his combine number suggests. Many fans argue that vertical numbers alone don’t capture real, functional athleticism, especially the kind that wins games.
One user summed up the controversy directly, saying, “Reed cheated, he admitted it himself.” This comment reflects the belief among some fans that Sheppard’s impressive vertical leap was boosted by a known trick rather than pure athletic ability.
To add depth, one fan explained, “They calculate vertical jump by measuring your standing reach and subtracting that from the max height you can reach on your vertical jump. Reed didn’t fully extend his arms on his standing reach, so that took a few inches off his standing reach and added a few inches to his vertical jump.”
RELATED: As 2025 NBA Draft Nears, Baylor Guard VJ Edgecombe’s Stock Continues to Skyrocket
Some users defended Sheppard by pointing to his actual game performance. As one put it, “Using Reed Sheppard as a reference when he was pretty consistently blocking jump shots in college is probably not a great idea.” This suggests that Sheppard’s athleticism does show up in meaningful ways during real games.
One fan commented that “Reed Sheppard is a solid athlete, but he’s not some special athlete like them,” adding that a scout friend told him, “VJ Edgecombe was the most athletic guy he’s seen in 2-3 years on the court when he was up close watching.”
The comparison to Westbrook also sparked strong reactions. One commenter argued, “One-tenth the athleticism is ridiculous—he doesn’t have the explosiveness of Russ or the speed, but he has a really good vertical.” This acknowledges Sheppard’s leaping ability while making it clear he’s not on Westbrook’s level in other areas.
Finally, some fans pointed out that Westbrook actually became more athletic after entering the NBA, casting further doubt on the value of combine results as a predictor of future performance. This perspective reinforces the idea that true basketball athleticism is best measured on the court, not just in combine tests.
Regardless of how fans, analysts, and scouts interpret vertical jump measurements and other numbers from the pre-draft process, we’ll soon see how Edgecombe’s stats align with his stock.
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