After Earning $1.4M In NIL Deals, 2025 NBA Draft Pick VJ Edgecombe Gives Back With Scholarship For Bahamian Youth
VJ Edgecombe, a 2025 NBA draft pick, isn’t taking his positioning for granted.
Edgecombe was drafted on Wednesday to the Philadelphia 76ers during the first round as a third overall pick, according to CBS Sports.
The moment was emotional for Edgecombe as he reflected on his upbringing. He was born and raised in Bimini, a small island in the Bahamas, according to WHYY.
He told NBA reporter Taylor Rooks that his family struggled, lived without electricity for seven years, and had to rely on a generator.
“See what she had to go through to feed us? It’s crazy… My mind [is] everywhere right now,” he told Rooks.
Basketball is now his saving grace. Edgecombe moved to the U.S. in the ninth grade and completed his senior year of high school at Long Island Lutheran in Brookville, NY, per USA Today.
In college, he played basketball at Baylor University and made a name for himself, averaging 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, Sports Spectrum reported.
His talents have now led him to the American Dream.
“I came to America to play basketball, knowing I’ve got to feed my family and all of that. That’s definitely helped me and the person that I am right now. Just work harder than everybody else,” Edgecombe told SLAM Magazine. “I don’t want to be in that [percentage] that don’t make it out. I want to be in the part that makes it out and sets the standard high and sets a path for all the younger kids behind me.”
Paying It Forward
Edgecombe will now be in a position to ensure that he and his family will be financially set for life. He will reportedly make over $11 million for the 2025-2026 season, according to Sports Illustrated.
What’s more, Edgecombe has not only considered his family throughout his athletic journey but also for the next generation of learners.
Edgecombe launched a scholarship in 2024 to support three students at his alma mater, Gateway Christian Academy in Bimini. The scholarship helped with tuition, books and other academic necessities for the recipients, according to USA Today.
He earned $1.4 million in college from name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, such as those with Panini America and PSD Underwear, according to Yahoo Sports.
“Kids aren’t funded properly, (don’t) have a strong base, a strong foundation financially,” Edgecombe said at the time, according to the outlet. “I just want to be able to help them, allow them to be happy, and give them the opportunity to get a free education at one of probably the best schools in the Bahamas.”
