Justin Edwards
No. 1 – Kentucky Wildcats
PositionSmall forward
LeagueSoutheastern Conference
Personal information
Born (2003-12-16) December 16, 2003
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight203 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High schoolImhotep Institute Charter
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
CollegeKentucky (2023–present)
Career highlights and awards

Justin Te'jon Edwards (born December 16, 2003) is an American college basketball player for the Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class.

Early life and high school career

Edwards grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and attended Imhotep Institute Charter High School.[1] He helped Imhotep win the Philadelphia City championship as a sophomore.[2] As a junior, Edwards averaged 18.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game and led the Panthers to the PIAA Class 5A state championship.[3] He played in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League following the season.[4] Edwards was selected to play in the 2023 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.[5] He was also selected to play for Team USA in the Nike Hoops Summit.[6] As a senior, Edwards averaged 17.9 points and 7.5 rebounds as the Panthers repeated as state champions and was named Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball.[7]

Recruiting

Edwards was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class, according to major recruiting services.[8][9] He was rated as the #1 overall recruit in the nation by ESPN in January 2023.[10] On July 25, 2022, Edwards committed to playing college basketball for Kentucky after considering offers from Tennessee, Auburn, Kansas, Maryland, and Villanova.[11] He also considered playing professionally in the NBA G League.[12]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Justin Edwards
SF		 Philadelphia, PA Imhotep Institute Charter (PA) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Jul 25, 2022 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:5/5 stars   247Sports:5/5 stars    ESPN:5/5 stars   ESPN grade: 94
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 3  247Sports: 3  ESPN: 3
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Kentucky 2023 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  • "2023 Kentucky Wildcats Recruiting Class". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  • "2023 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 18, 2023.

College career

Edwards enrolled at the University of Kentucky in June 2023.[13] During the summer before his freshman year he played for the Wildcats in the GLOBL JAM tournament in Canada and averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals over four games as the team went undefeated and won the tournament.[14]

Personal life

Edwards' mother, Ebony Twiggs, played college basketball at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania and overseas in Portugal.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Philly forward Justin Edwards considering KU, five others". Kansas City Star. April 29, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  2. ↑ Piatt, Joey (December 1, 2021). "Imhotep's Justin Edwards was impressed by Kentucky's Big Blue Nation. Will the rising wing commit to his dream school?". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  3. ↑ Tucker, Kyle (July 25, 2022). "Why Justin Edwards became Kentucky's latest five-star recruit in the Class of 2023". The Athletic. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Kentucky basketball recruit Justin Edwards at Louisville EYBL". Lexington Herald Leader. May 30, 2022. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  5. ↑ DiAmore, Isabella (January 24, 2023). "Paul VI's Hannah Hidalgo is a McDonald's All American; Justin Edwards, D.J. Wagner, and Aaron Bradshaw also make cut". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Nike Hoop Summit to feature Imhotep's Justin Edwards, Camden's DJ Wagner, and Paul VI's Hannah Hidalgo". Philadelphia Inquirer. February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Imhotep's Justin Edwards named 2023 Mr. Basketball". The Philadelphia Inquirer. May 27, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  8. ↑ Selbe, Nick (July 26, 2022). "Justin Edwards, Top-Three Overall 2023 CBB Prospect, Commits to Kentucky". SI.com. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  9. ↑ Borzello, Jeff (July 25, 2022). "Kentucky Wildcats add another five-star pledge to 2023 college basketball recruiting class in Justin Edwards". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  10. ↑ Carter, Aaron (January 20, 2023). "Imhotep's Justin Edwards is the new No. 1 in ESPN's basketball recruiting rankings". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Star basketball recruit Justin Edwards commits to Kentucky". Lexington Herald Leader. July 25, 2022. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  12. ↑ Elvin, Gustav (April 28, 2022). "Imhotep star Justin Edwards narrows his list down to seven, including Villanova, the G League". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  13. ↑ Thompson, Tyler (June 5, 2023). "LOOK: Justin Edwards arrives on Kentucky's campus". On3.com. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  14. ↑ Tucker, Kyle (July 17, 2023). "How Kentucky basketball changed the conversation with its four wins in Canada". The Athletic. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  15. ↑ Breen, Matt (February 24, 2023). "Imhotep Charter's Justin Edwards is Philly's top high school player in 30 years. His mom worked two jobs to keep his dream alive". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
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