What 5-star wing Justin Edwards brings to Kentucky

Justin Edwards has committed to the Kentucky Wildcats, giving head coach John Calipari a high-caliber five-star wing in back-to-back recruiting classes. Clocking in at 6-foot-7, 180 pounds, Edwards is a defense-first prospect with a growing offensive game. He chose the ‘Cats over intraconference rival Tennessee after Calipari took control of the reins and hauled him in. Edwards has legitimate NBA lottery potential and should shine at the college level alongside top-tier talent more than he did on the grassroots stage.

So what is Kentucky getting in Edwards? Over the last 18 months, I’ve been able to watch him play live roughly a dozen times. I’m by no means a scout, so I’m not here to dissect his game piece-by-piece (Check out Brandon Ramsey’s Film Room for something closer to those lines). What I will do though is explain what I’ve seen from him on the floor during that time. Ideally, we’ll all have a better idea of what Edwards can/will bring to Lexington by the time we wrap up.

Justin Edwards has plenty of pro potential

Prior to the 2022 recruiting class, Calipari hadn’t brought in a five-star wing since Kahlil Whitney in 2019, who had a cup of coffee with the ‘Cats before heading out the door. In the years immediately before him, the likes of Keldon Johnson and Kevin Knox helped make up some of Cal’s better groups during his time at UK. Kentucky hasn’t landed a player of similar capabilities in a few years, which has undoubtedly made at least some sort of impact on the program’s lack of overall success.

With Edwards now in the fold and five-star freshman wing Chris Livingston earning praise during the offseason, Calipari is loading up on the archetype of player the NBA is craving — two-way wings who can play three or even four positions.

First and foremost, Edwards makes his presence felt on defense. We don’t know the exact measurements of his wingspan, but I would guess it’s close to seven feet, if not longer. He’s not someone I would describe as “lanky”, rather a skinny wing with plenty of length who knows how to play within the limitations of his body.

In the games I’ve seen him play for Team Final on the Nike EYBL circuit, Edwards is a constant ballhawk, especially when his squad rolled out a zone defense. He has a tendency to pick off unsuspecting passes that only players of his length and athleticism can reach. This often kickstarts transition opportunities, which is his best offensive trait from what I’ve seen. Edwards isn’t physically imposing, but is long enough to finish over defenders and has shown the ability to finish through them. If he sees an opportunity to slam home a dunk, he’s going for it. He’s an underrated playmaker in this area, too.

The offensive end is where the intrigue around Edwards as a pro prospect spikes. His overall shooting percentage tends to hover around the mid-40s with a sporadic three-point jumper. Edwards always posts a high usage percentage — typically in the high 20s or low 30s — but doesn’t turn the ball over all that often. He was relied upon to provide the majority of offensive relief for Team Final, which could often result in rushed shots and poor shooting stats.

There isn’t exactly one particular area on offense where Edwards will blow you away, but he does most things at an average to an above-average level. His jumper isn’t in need of an overhaul by any means (if anything it’s already mechanically sound), but he goes through stark streaks of shooting nearly 40 percent from 3 in one session of games before dropping to 15 percent a few weeks later.

He’s acted mostly as a lead ball handler for Team Final, which will present a change in playstyle once he arrives at Kentucky — one that should benefit him, however. It will surely be a transition for Edwards to go from the go-to scorer to a secondary or tertiary one, but it’s something that should help him in the long run. He’s not at his best when forcing his way to the rim. He is at his best when he’s the one receiving the ball on the run instead of starting the run himself.

One important tendency Edwards has proven as of late is his ability to show up in big moments. At the 2022 Nike Peach Jam Invitational this past week — the final grassroots event of his career — he was always up for the challenge.

Edwards dropped 21 points, seven rebounds, and four steals against LivOn-Fleur De Lis and four-star ’23 guard Wesley Yates, who finished with four points on 2-12 shooting. Edwards then went for 17 points, 13 rebounds, and three steals against five-star forward GG Jackson and Team CP3; 19 points, seven rebounds, and four steals against the Oakland Soldiers and five-star wing Mookie Cook, who finished with zero points on 0-5 shooting; and 24 points, 10 rebounds, and four steals against Team Durant and five-star forward KJ Evans, who finished with seven points on 3-11 shooting.

Pretty good…