Baylor Professional Athletes

Baylor's NBA pipeline is producing more than just roster depth — two Bears are shaping offseason narratives heading into 2026-27.

VJ Edgecombe Is Done Being Starstruck

When you're the youngest player in a locker room that includes LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, the first instinct is to pinch yourself. VJ Edgecombe did plenty of that — at first. The 76ers guard has openly admitted that sharing the floor with those names once had him wide-eyed, but that chapter is closing fast.

Edgecombe told The Sporting News that he's no longer getting starstruck by the stars around him, a mental shift that signals real professional growth for the Baylor product entering only his second NBA season. That mindset is being tested in real-time competition: Edgecombe has been involved in FIBA World Cup qualifying action this offseason, and after missing one qualifier appearance, there is reported hope he returns to the floor for the next window. The 76ers are banking on him to grow into a meaningful role, and Edgecombe seems to be buying in with both feet.

The arc here is one worth watching. Philadelphia is threading a rebuild around young talent, and a guard who can hold his own mentally alongside established stars before his 21st birthday is exactly the kind of player franchises build futures on.

Keyonte George and the Jazz's Dark Horse Moment

While Edgecombe is grinding through the hunger years, Keyonte George is entering a situation with genuine buzz. ESPN projections have tabbed the Utah Jazz as the Western Conference's dark horse for 2026-27 — a squad built around Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen, and George under head coach Will Hardy.

That's a real vote of confidence for a franchise that spent several years stockpiling picks and developing talent. George is squarely in the mix as a key piece of that identity, and the offseason vibe around the Jazz seems legitimately loose and locked-in at the same time. A recent trip to Finland with Markkanen made the rounds this week after a video surfaced of George and coach Hardy pranking JJJ — the kind of team-bonding content that doesn't mean everything, but doesn't mean nothing either. Chemistry is built in moments like those.

The Jazz returning to dark horse status in the West is no small thing. The conference has been a gauntlet for years, and any team generating that kind of preseason respect has done something right. For George, it's a chance to step into an expanded role on a roster with real aspirations — and prove that the Baylor pedigree translates at the next level.

The Bigger Picture

Two Bears, two different stages — Edgecombe navigating the psychological hurdles of youth stardom in Philadelphia, George riding a wave of Jazz optimism in Utah. Both storylines have real legs heading into training camp season. Baylor fans have every reason to keep both on their radar as 2026-27 approaches.

Baylor's pipeline to the NBA has never been deeper, but this week the spotlight belongs to VJ Edgecombe — the sophomore guard who suddenly finds himself sandwiched between two future Hall of Famers on one of the league's most ambitious rosters.

The Philadelphia 76ers have spent the offseason engineering a blockbuster makeover, landing LeBron James and trading for Jaylen Brown to form a superstar trio alongside Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Edgecombe, the former Bears standout, is penciled in as the fifth starter — a remarkable ask for a young player still carving out his NBA identity.

The Role Question

Role definition is the defining challenge of Philly's preseason. With James, Brown, Maxey, and Embiid each demanding significant usage, Edgecombe's value will hinge on what he can provide without the ball in his hands. The 76ers are betting that the Baylor product's athleticism and defensive instincts translate into league-wide impact when surrounded by that much offensive gravity.

Edgecombe has spoken publicly about the situation, acknowledging that the organization is still working through how minutes and responsibilities will be divided. That kind of candor is notable for a young player — he's not pretending the hierarchy is simple. On a roster where LeBron touches the ball late in shot clocks and Brown demands isolation reps, Edgecombe's ability to space the floor, cut, and guard opposing wings without requiring plays drawn up for him will determine whether he thrives or fades into the background.

Projections for the new-look Sixers suggest Edgecombe may settle into a complementary offensive profile — catch-and-shoot opportunities, transition finishes, and the occasional drive created by collapsing defenses. None of that is glamorous, but it's exactly the kind of role that turns good young players into indispensable rotation pieces. The 76ers will need him to be reliable, not explosive.

The Bigger Picture for Baylor

Edgecombe's position in Philadelphia reflects a broader trend: Scott Drew's program continues to produce NBA-caliber wing defenders with the versatility to play alongside high-usage stars. That's a profile in serious demand across the league right now.

Elsewhere in the Association, the Bears' alumni base remains sprawling. Keyonte George is developing in Utah, Jeremy Sochan continues building in Portland, Yves Missi is establishing himself in New Orleans, and Ja'Kobe Walter is pushing for expanded responsibilities in Toronto. Davion Mitchell is in Miami. LJ Cryer landed in Golden State. The list goes on — 17 Baylor alumni are active across the league this season, a testament to the program's sustained relevance at the next level.

But none of them are walking into a situation quite like Edgecombe's. Sharing a starting five with LeBron James is the kind of proving ground most prospects never get. How he handles the moment — the shrinking of his role, the enormous expectations, the media circus that follows No. 23 everywhere — will say a great deal about the player he's becoming.

The Bears made him. Now Philadelphia gets to find out what he's made of.

Baylor's pipeline to the NBA has produced a lot of contributors over the years, but right now the most compelling story belongs to Davion Mitchell — and the Waco faithful have every reason to pay close attention heading into 2026-27.

Mitchell has locked down the starting point guard role in Miami, and it's not just a product of circumstance. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra — one of the most respected tacticians in the league — has placed his full faith in the former Bear to run the show. That kind of institutional trust from a coach of Spoelstra's caliber isn't handed out lightly, and Mitchell has reportedly embraced the responsibility. According to The Sporting News, Mitchell himself has opened up about how Spoelstra's belief has been a driving force in his development and comfort with the Heat.

The endorsement doesn't stop at the coaching staff. Veteran guard D'Angelo Russell has singled out Mitchell as a player poised to break out in the upcoming season. Russell's read carries weight — he's seen plenty of young guards navigate the league, and flagging Mitchell as a potential star-in-the-making is the kind of external validation that often precedes a genuine leap. The Sporting News reported Russell pointing specifically to Mitchell's readiness for a big campaign in 2026-27.

Put it together and the picture is clear: Mitchell enters the new season as a confirmed starter, backed by his head coach and hyped by an experienced teammate. For a player still carving out his identity in the league, that's about as favorable a launchpad as it gets.

The rest of Baylor's NBA class is scattered across the league — VJ Edgecombe in Philadelphia, Keyonte George developing in Utah, Ja'Kobe Walter getting run in Toronto, and Yves Missi anchoring the paint in New Orleans, among others — but none of them enter the 2026-27 conversation with the same alignment of factors working in their favor as Mitchell does right now.

For Bears alumni, the summer headline is straightforward: Davion Mitchell is Miami's guy, Spoelstra believes it, and D'Angelo Russell is telling anyone who'll listen that the rest of the league should brace for it. The next step is proving it on the floor when the games count.

Baylor's NBA pipeline has never been louder than this offseason. Three Bears are making headlines — one at the center of the most talked-about superteam in the league, one navigating a pivotal contract moment, and one finding a fresh start on the West Coast.

VJ Edgecombe and the 76ers' Superteam Gamble

The offseason's biggest story might be unfolding in Philadelphia, and VJ Edgecombe is right in the middle of it. The 76ers didn't just add LeBron James this summer — they also traded for Jaylen Brown, constructing a roster around James, Edgecombe, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey that has the league buzzing.

Edgecombe hasn't been shy about his excitement. The second-year guard detailed a personal FaceTime call from LeBron James during the recruiting process, saying it left him "geekin.'" Teammate Tyrese Maxey, apparently in on the courtship early, even kept the signing under wraps from Edgecombe temporarily — adding some locker room lore to what's already a storybook offseason.

Jaylen Brown has publicly backed Edgecombe, stating he sees the young Baylor product "shining" despite widespread discourse about how the star additions might crowd out his development. Not everyone is convinced: at least one unnamed NBA executive has raised doubts about whether Edgecombe and Maxey can thrive in a LeBron-led system. Those concerns haven't dampened the mood inside the organization, where James has already been hyping Embiid and Edgecombe's joint workout posts ahead of the 2026-27 season.

For Bears fans, the storyline is straightforward: Edgecombe is a second-year player already slotted into what could be a championship-caliber squad. That's a remarkable leap in a very short time.

Keyonte George's Extension Looms Large in Utah

In Salt Lake City, another Baylor alum is at a crossroads. Keyonte George is eligible for a contract extension with the Jazz following what sources describe as a breakout 2025-26 season, and negotiations are ongoing. Utah already carries two significant contracts on its books, making the financial calculus complicated — but George's emergence as a legitimate rotation cornerstone has forced the front office to take the talks seriously.

How the Jazz handle this decision will say plenty about their direction as a rebuilding franchise. Locking George in long-term signals a commitment to building around young talent. Walking away risks losing one of the more promising young guards in the Western Conference.

Jeremy Sochan Resets with Portland

After a disappointing stint with the New York Knicks, Jeremy Sochan has signed a one-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. The move gives the versatile big man a chance to compete for a roster spot and recapture the form that made him a lottery pick not long ago.

Portland, still building toward relevance in the West, offers Sochan a chance to play meaningful minutes and re-establish his value. The one-year structure keeps both sides flexible, but for Sochan, it's an opportunity to prove the Knicks chapter was an aberration rather than a ceiling.

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Three Baylor alumni, three compelling narratives — and the season hasn't even started. For Bears fans, the NBA offseason has been anything but quiet.