Justin Edwards gearing up for Kentucky Play-By-Play Classic

UK basketball signee Justin Edwards is ready to show fans what he’s capable of before he arrives on campus next summer. He’ll get that chance down the road from his future home this weekend as the headlining talent of the Kentucky Play-By-Play Classic alongside fellow signee Reed Sheppard.

The event takes place this Sunday, Dec. 11 at Freedom Hall in Louisville, where ten programs will battle it out across a five-game slate. Edwards and Imhotep Charter (PA) are set to take on Sheppard and North Laurel (KY) in the final game of the day, the first time the future Wildcats have ever faced off.

“They’ve never seen me play before, so it’s really exciting for fans to come out and see me where I’ll be playing next year. It’s really good,” Edwards told KSR. “I’m going to be playing against Reed Sheppard, that’s my teammate and it’s going to be a good matchup. To see us both play against each other — we’ve never played against each other before, so that’s crazy.”

What should fans expect out of Edwards, a consensus top-five prospect in high school basketball? A versatile wing capable of doing it all on the floor, someone who models his game after one of the greatest players of all time.

“I can do a little bit of everything, defend, rebound, just everything. Really I can do everything,” he said. “… I model my game after Kevin Durant, kind of that lanky — just someone who gets to his spots.”

And what about his head-to-head matchup with Sheppard? What does he know about his opponent this weekend?

“My boy Reed, I haven’t gotten to see him play like that,” Edwards told KSR. “But when I did see him play, my boy can flat-out shoot, he can slash a little bit, all of that.”

Kentucky’s five signees — Edwards, Sheppard, DJ Wagner, Aaron Bradshaw and Rob Dillingham — are all in a group chat together and talk regularly. That’s where they talk about their team goals and title dreams in Lexington next season.

Has the trash talk begun between Edwards and Sheppard?

“Nah, I’m going to wait until we get down there,” Edwards said. “That’s my guy right now, but when we’re on the court, all that goes out the window.”

Imhotep Charter vs. North Laurel will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET at Freedom Hall on Sunday, one of five games on the event schedule.