VJ Edgecombe Named Allen Iverson National Player of the Year for 2024

VJ Edgecombe Named Allen Iverson National Player of the Year for 2024

Valdez "V.J." Edgecombe Jr. has been named the 2024 Allen Iverson National High School Player of the Year by the Iverson Classic. Born on July 30, 2005, Edgecombe is a Bahamian college basketball player for the Baylor Bears of the Big 12 Conference. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class. He joins previous recipients like Chet Holmgren, Cam Thomas and DJ Wagner as one of only 10 Allen Iverson National Player of Year title holders since the award's creation. 

Edgecombe was born in Bimini, the Bahamas, and moved to the United States in the ninth grade, initially settling in Florida. He attended Victory International Institute in West Palm Beach for two years before transferring to Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School in Brookville, New York, as a boarding student. During his junior season, he averaged 15.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, leading the Crusaders to a state championship. He earned the titles of New York Gatorade Player of the Year and National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) Player of the Year.

As a senior, Edgecombe continued to excel, averaging 17.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, guiding the Crusaders to a 21-5 record. He was selected to play in both major All American games, the 2024 McDonald's All-American Boys Game and the 2024 Allen Iverson Roundball Classic

A consensus five-star recruit and top player in the 2024 class, Edgecombe was initially ranked 153rd in the composite ranking of 247Sports but rose to the top five following his performance in the Adidas 3SSB travel circuit as a junior. He committed to Baylor, choosing the Bears over offers from Duke and Kentucky.

Additionally, Edgecombe was named to the Bahamas national team for the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Valencia.