Baylor Professional Athletes

VJ Edgecombe is no longer waiting for his moment — he's owning it.

The Baylor rookie and Philadelphia 76ers guard earned Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for March, capping an award-worthy run with the most eye-catching individual performance of any Bear this week: 23 points and 10 assists in a 153-131 demolition of the Washington Wizards on Wednesday — without Joel Embiid, who sat out with an illness. Edgecombe posted a plus-minus of +29 in 32 minutes, sharing the offensive load alongside Paul George (39 points) and Tyrese Maxey (28 points, nine assists) in one of the Sixers' most complete offensive showings of the season. For a rookie to log a 23-and-10 in that kind of environment — stepping up when the franchise cornerstone is unavailable — is the kind of moment that sticks in a résumé.

Edgecombe followed up with 8 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals in a Friday win over the Timberwolves, finishing the week as the clear standard-bearer for Baylor's NBA contingent.

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Taurean Prince Shows Out in Buck County's Roughest Stretch

It wasn't a winning week for Milwaukee, but Taurean Prince gave the Bucks something to build on. In Sunday's loss to the Clippers, the Baylor forward stuffed the stat sheet — 18 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block in 38 minutes. Prince was one of the few bright spots in a game Milwaukee lost 127-113, with player grades noting his effort as a genuine highlight in an otherwise flat performance. He tacked on 6 points and 2 assists Wednesday in a bounce-back win over the Mavericks.

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Other Bears Worth Watching

Davion Mitchell has quietly become one of Miami's most reliable pieces down the stretch. The Heat guard delivered 21 points and 7 assists in 40 minutes against the Celtics on Wednesday — a losing effort (147-129), but a performance that underscored his role as a legitimate NBA starter. He also posted 12 points and 8 assists the previous Sunday against Indiana, giving him back-to-back strong outings to close the month.

Ja'Kobe Walter continues to carve out minutes in Toronto. The Raptors guard went for 18 points and 4 assists in a Saturday win over the Pelicans, then collected 3 steals in each of his next two appearances. He's not yet a finished product, but the defensive instincts are real.

Jeremy Sochan had a quiet week in New York — 7 points and 8 boards Friday in a blowout win over the Bulls — but his +30 in just 16 minutes was a fun footnote. Yves Missi is still finding his footing in New Orleans, logging functional if unspectacular numbers across three appearances. Royce O'Neale had a 14-point, 9-rebound night Tuesday against the Magic for Phoenix before going quiet down the stretch.

The headline, though, remains Edgecombe. A Rookie of the Month award and a 23-10 game without the team's best player is the kind of week that changes how a fan base thinks about a player. Baylor's pipeline to the NBA has never looked healthier.

Source links cited:

• VJ Edgecombe named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for March (Yahoo Sports NBA): https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/vj-edgecombe-named-eastern-conference-182909517.html
• Paul George scores 39 points in the 76ers' 153-151 win over the Wizards (Yahoo Sports NBA): https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/paul-george-scores-39-points-013700768.html
• Bucks vs. Clippers Player Grades: Trent and Prince tried their best (Yahoo Sports NBA): https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/bucks-vs-clippers-player-grades-130000143.html

VJ Edgecombe Is Carrying Philadelphia on His Back

The 76ers are a MASH unit. Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George are all out. And somehow, Baylor rookie VJ Edgecombe is making it appointment television anyway.

In the biggest performance of his young career, Edgecombe dropped 35 points on a career-high seven three-pointers Monday against Oklahoma City — record-tying output that came in a 123-103 loss to the league's hottest team. The Thunder had won 11 straight entering the night and extended it to 12, but Edgecombe made sure nobody left talking about a blowout. Playing 39 minutes in a lineup stripped of its three biggest names, the Baylor product finished with four assists, six rebounds, and a steal while nearly single-handedly keeping Philadelphia in the fight.

Three days later, he was at it again. In a 157-137 win over Chicago, Edgecombe posted 22 points, six assists, six rebounds, and a plus-minus of +32 in 29 minutes. Then on Sunday against Utah, he opened the week with a 22-point, 13-rebound double-double in a 126-116 Sixers win.

Three games. 79 points. Two wins. One jaw-dropping loss that wasn't really a loss — at least not in terms of individual legacy. Yahoo Sports called the season already a success because of Edgecombe's growth, and it's hard to argue after a week like this. The 7-three game alone would have been a career-defining night for a veteran. For a rookie playing without his team's entire core, it's something else entirely.

Ja'Kobe Walter Keeps Rolling in Toronto

Another Baylor rookie is quietly building something in Canada. Ja'Kobe Walter had a strong week for the Raptors, highlighted by a 21-point, five-rebound game in a win over Utah on Tuesday — finishing +27 in 28 minutes. He followed it with 13 against Phoenix on Monday, and capped the week with 18 points and a stunning +22 in 33 minutes during a 119-106 win over New Orleans on Saturday.

Walter is showing flashes of a two-way presence Toronto can build around. Back-to-back quality weeks suggest he's not a blip.

Around the Rest of the Alumni

Taurean Prince had the most notable non-rookie Baylor week. The veteran forward posted 13 points, six rebounds, and a steal in 29 minutes Thursday as the Bucks fell to Portland 130-99 — one of the few players who showed up in an ugly loss. He also contributed 8 points in Milwaukee's 108-105 win over Phoenix on Sunday.

Royce O'Neale turned in a quietly efficient performance Wednesday for Phoenix — 17 points, five rebounds, three blocks, and a steal in a one-point loss to Denver, finishing +10 in 28 minutes.

Davion Mitchell had a mixed week for Miami. He delivered his best game Sunday in a narrow 122-123 loss to Houston: 15 points, nine assists, two steals, and a +8. But he was held to 2 points in back-to-back games later in the week as the Heat struggled against San Antonio and Cleveland.

Yves Missi saw limited production for New Orleans, finishing the week with modest stat lines across three appearances — including a brief appearance Saturday in a loss to Toronto, where Scottie Barnes dunked over the Pelicans big man before swatting the ensuing possession.

Edgecombe is the story. But Baylor's NBA footprint is wider than ever.

VJ Edgecombe is making Philadelphia forget — at least for a moment — just how broken this Sixers season was supposed to feel.

The Baylor rookie turned in the most electric individual performance by any Bears alumnus this week, dropping a career-high 35 points on 7-of-11 shooting from three against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, March 23. The seven triples set a new personal best, and the effort came against the league's hottest team — OKC extended its winning streak to 12 with a 123-103 victory — and without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, or Paul George in the lineup. Edgecombe wasn't just filling a void. He was making a statement.

Then, four days later, he backed it up. Against the Jazz on Sunday, March 22, Edgecombe posted 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists in a 126-116 Philadelphia win — a quietly complete performance that underscored his growing two-way presence. And against the Bulls on Wednesday, March 25, he went for 22 points, 6 assists, and a plus-minus of +32 in a 157-137 blowout win. Three games. Three strong outings. For a franchise in full rebuild mode, Edgecombe is emerging as the clearest reason for optimism.

The Rest of the Bears

Edgecombe wasn't the only Baylor alum worth watching this week, though the rest of the roundup is more uneven.

Ja'Kobe Walter had his own standout moment in Toronto, erupting for 21 points, 5 rebounds, and a +27 in the Raptors' 143-127 rout of the Jazz on Tuesday, March 24. Walter showed flashes of that same Baylor shooting pedigree, but bookended the week with a quiet 5-point, -17 outing against the Clippers on Thursday. The inconsistency is real, but the ceiling looks intriguing.

Royce O'Neale was Phoenix's most reliable contributor in a tough 123-125 loss to Denver on Wednesday, logging 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks in 28 minutes. It was a well-rounded, veteran line — exactly what the Suns need from O'Neale as they try to stay relevant in a crowded West.

Taurean Prince had a rough week in Milwaukee. He managed 13 points and 6 rebounds in a 29-minute effort during Thursday's blowout loss to Portland, but the Bucks dropped all three of their games this week, and Prince's +/- across the stretch reflected the team's defensive struggles.

Davion Mitchell had a split week in Miami. He was excellent Sunday — 15 points, 9 assists, 2 steals in a near-upset of Houston — then quieted considerably across the week's remaining games. His 11-point, +5 outing Wednesday against Cleveland was solid, but the Heat ultimately lost both matchups with the Cavaliers.

The through-line this week is clear: Edgecombe is the story, and it's not particularly close. For a Sixers franchise navigating a lost season with an undermanned roster, finding a genuine building block in their first-round rookie is the kind of silver lining that makes a long year worth enduring.

VJ Edgecombe didn't just have a good week. He had a statement week.

The 76ers' rookie guard put together the most eye-catching individual performance by any Baylor alumnus this NBA season, dropping a career-high 38 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds in Philadelphia's 139-118 demolition of the Sacramento Kings on Friday — all while posting a +44 plus/minus in 38 minutes of work. The game wasn't close, and Edgecombe was the reason why.

It wasn't a one-night flash, either. Earlier in the week, Edgecombe put up 18 points, 3 assists, and 12 rebounds in a 109-103 Philadelphia win over Portland on Sunday — a quietly complete performance that showed his all-around impact before the Sacramento eruption grabbed the headlines. He bookended the week with 16 points and 7 assists in a win over Brooklyn on Saturday the 14th. Three wins, three strong outings, and a career milestone. Not a bad seven days for the former Bear.

Ja'Kobe Walter Turns Heads in Toronto

Another Baylor rookie made noise this week. Ja'Kobe Walter put up 18 points in just 21 minutes as the Raptors rolled past the Bulls 139-109 on Thursday, finishing with a +20 plus/minus. Walter's trajectory in Toronto's rebuild is worth watching — when he's on the floor, the Raptors are clearly better.

Missi and Mitchell Hold Their Own

Yves Missi had a productive week for New Orleans, serving as one of the few bright spots on a Pelicans squad that went 1-3. The young center pulled down 11 rebounds and scored 11 points in Friday's 105-99 win over the Clippers, while also racking up 5 blocks across his Tuesday outing against Dallas. His defensive impact continues to outpace his offensive profile, but the per-game consistency is real.

Davion Mitchell had a mixed week in Miami. He turned in 16 points, 6 assists, and a steal in Friday's loss to the Lakers, but struggled in earlier outings — including a rough -19 game in a blowout loss to Charlotte on Tuesday. The Heat's broader struggles this week made it hard for any individual to shine.

The Rest of the Bears

Taurean Prince picked up 13 points and a +13 in Milwaukee's win over Indiana on Sunday before going quiet later in the week. Royce O'Neale contributed 3 steals in Phoenix's Wednesday loss to Minnesota. Jeremy Sochan saw limited run off the bench for the Knicks. RayJ Dennis logged two minutes in Atlanta's win over Milwaukee.

The week belonged to Edgecombe — and it wasn't particularly close.