Nike Hoop Summit: Three 2025 NBA Draft Prospects who shined

Looking ahead to prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft class.

Nike Hoop Summit took place last weekend in Portland, Oregon, where future NBA Draft prospects had the spotlight.

The great majority of prospects are names to keep in the back of your mind for the 2025 draft, with the exception of Ulrich Chomche out of NBA Academy Africa who is reportedly entering the 2024 draft.

The Nike Hoop Summit game employs a Team USA vs. Team World format that sees selected prospects represent their countries in a glorified all-star game. Tons of NBA scouts, college coaches and other talent evaluators convene in Portland to get an up-close look at the stars that are next up.

This year, Team USA was highlighted by Cooper Flagg (Duke commit), Ace Bailey (Rutgers) and Dylan Harper (Rutgers). Team World’s main highlight was Khaman Maluach (Duke), a top prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft class out of NBA Academy Africa.

Flagg’s 19 points led Team USA to a 98-75 victory. The No. 1 prospect grabbed 11 rebounds, too, overcoming early foul trouble. Bailey finished with 14 points, six rebounds and two steals.

Hoop Summit wasn’t only made up of the Flagg’s and Bailey’s of the world, of course. So, I’m going to highlight three prospects who shined in Portland that aren’t at the tippity-top of current prospect rankings or future NBA Draft Boards.

One small disclaimer: the below highlights performance at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit game alone, as I was not in attendance nor able to view the practices throughout the week.

V.J. Edgecombe - Team World (Bahamas)

• 6’5” Guard

• Baylor Commit

• 18 years old - potential 2025 NBA Draft prospect

• 2024 Nike Hoop Summit stats: 17 points, five rebounds, one assist, two steals, one block

Edgecombe jumped off the screen with his athleticism and ability to make defensive plays leading into transition opportunities. He was also a 2024 McDonalds All-American out of Long Island Lutheran high school. He committed to Baylor over Duke and Kentucky, which were both in his final top-three.

He didn’t shoot the ball well from range in Portland, connecting on just one of seven 3-point attempts, but the explosiveness he showed elsewhere makes you live with waiting for the shot to come along. He showed the ability to switch defensively and find his way into passing lanes, leading to quick points on the other end. He also made some smooth cuts toward the rim, taking advantage while playing off-the-ball.

Edgecombe’s athleticism and feel is enough to pencil him in as a high-lottery pick in 2025, while hopefully he works to show consistency as a shooter next season at Baylor.

https://twitter.com/nbafuturenow/status/1779346477430477104

https://twitter.com/nbafuturenow/status/1779339520971870440

Nolan Traore - Team World (France)

• 6’3” Guard

• 17 years old - potential 2025 NBA Draft prospect

• 2024 Nike Hoop Summit stats: 18 points, four assists, two rebounds, one steal

Traore ran the show for Team World, showing off his skills as a future NBA point guard. Edgecombe mentioned that Traore is one of the best point guards he’s ever played with.

Traore’s 18 points came efficiently, off 8-for-14 from the field and 2-for-4 from three. He showed a strong ability to finish near the rim, making some difficult shots along the way. Nearly zero of his looks came without a hand in his face, showing confidence in his shot-making ability. His drives were strong and purposeful, often garnering additional defensive attention which opened up the floor for his teammates.

His vision looked great, showing the potential to take advantage of defenses when running the pick-and-roll at any level. Traore has offers from numerous colleges, including Gonzaga and Alabama, but he may elect to stay in France and play professionally before heading over to the NBA.

https://twitter.com/mcfxz/status/1779370696054837682

Boogie Fland - Team USA

• 6’2” Guard

• Requested release from Kentucky, reopening recruitment

• 17 years old - potential 2025 NBA Draft prospect

• 2024 Nike Hoop Summit stats: Nine points, two rebounds, one assist, one steal

Rounding it out with another talented guard, Boogie Fland looked the part of his five-star tag in Portland. I get it, I get it, his statline doesn’t exactly jump off the screen to you, but he came off the bench for Team USA and was hyper efficient in his 17 minutes, scoring nine points on 4-for-8 from the field and 1-for-2 from three.

He slowed the game down when he had the ball in his hands, able to create for himself and his teammates. He’s a super shifty and quick guard whose skill set shines above size concerns.

Defensively, I did notice multiple instances where he was slower to get back which allowed Team World to get out in transition with numbers. But, I’m not faulting Fland for that at all in an all-star game setting. 

As a Kentucky commit, he reportedly requested a release from his NLI to reopen his recruitment after John Calipari left UK for Arkansas. Maybe he follows Cal to the Hogs, but nevertheless, Fland is an exciting future NBA prospect to keep your eyes on next season.