Tre Johnson vs. VJ Edgecombe: Debating NBA Draft stock of top SGs in class

The 2025 NBA Draft process continues with offseason workouts in front of team executives, with one month left before teams finalize their board. With many debates on how players match up with their peers, perhaps none has as much to break down than Tre Johnson vs. VJ Edgecombe as the top shooting guard.

The two freshmen had standout seasons in college basketball, exposing their best attributes and the flaws which keep them out of the top tier. However, the potential for both is limitless, making the debate over which carries more value hard to decipher.

Johnson starred at Texas, showing why he is one of the best offensive players available. Meanwhile, Edgecombe showed flashes of two-way stardom by locking in on the defensive end and scoring in bursts.

This debate will continue to rage on throughout both careers, with the player climbing closest to their ceiling winning regardless of what is said in the pre-draft process. However, teams still need to decide which one to rank higher on the board now.

Tre Johnson

Tre Johnson entered the season at Texas with pedigree, arriving as the No. 5 player in the country and a five-star plus prospect in the On3 consensus rankings. At the time, he was ranked the No. 2 shooting guard in the class.

Entering the season, it was clear that the 6-foot-6 guard had all the tools to score at a high level, but questions remained about his ability to impact other areas of the game and fit into different schemes. During the preseason, he got a boost in stock, when Rodney Terry compared him to Kevin Durant.

Johnson lived up to all the hype as an elite offensive prospect, averaging 19.9 points on 42.7-percent from the field, 39.7-percent from 3, and 87.1-percent on free throws. He also boasted a 19.7 PER with an effective field goal percentage at 51.1.

The two questions in his game remain the defensive skillset and engagement throughout the game, which were a trend for many Texas players this season. It is something that becomes far less important to teams which believe Johnson can carry the load offensively in the NBA.

The other area where Johnson must continue to show growth on offense is the playmaking which comes off his scoring ability. As NBA defenses learn how he gets to his spot, he must improve the frequency he finds the open man and delivers a pass.

VJ Edgecombe

VJ Edgecombe entered the season at Baylor with great pedigree too, rising up the board to No. 4 overall and No. 1 among shooting guards as a five-star plus prospect in the On3 consensus rankings. His profile got a major boost before the season too, when he starred in international competition for the Bahamas.

The 6-foot-4 guard brings great length and athleticism to the floor, building hope that he can blossom into a two-way star at any level of basketball. The ability to see him hold up against professionals at a young age also created hype for his arrival.

Like many freshmen, there were some ups and downs during his season. While he averaged 15.0 points on 43.6, 34.0, 78.2 splits, he never consistently became the go-to offensive engine for long stretches.

His ability to make an impact on defense was important to his growth too, helping him achieve a PER of 22.1 with 2.1 steals. The case for Edgecombe is simple for many teams, given his greater ability to impact the game outside of ball handling and scoring.

If Edgecombe can unlock the consistency of his offense, there is every chance that he turns into the type of prospect which any team can rely on as a No. 1 or No. 2 option with great results. The future remains bright as he competes against a new level of opponent.