Jason Edwards knows how to put on a show. Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball has drawn its biggest home crowds in years this season thanks to a strong start in nonconference play and big wins over Tennessee and Kentucky in Memorial Gymnasium. Part of that success is thanks to Edwards, whose scoring and clutch shot-making are essential parts of the team’s game plan.
Edwards’s speed and shooting range make him the cornerstone of head coach Mark Byington’s offense — he’s the perfect dynamic guard for Byington’s positionless scheme. The guard is shooting 38.5% from downtown on 5.4 attempts per game, which helps stretch the floor to keep defenses on their toes.
The junior is also a consistent bucket-getter. He has averaged 17.5 points per game with a standard deviation of only 4.4 over the past 10 games — in other words, he’s reliable. Edwards’ scoring seems to come at the most crucial times as well, with his second-half takeover against Texas catalyzing a dramatic comeback for the Commodores.
Playing at Vanderbilt has given Edwards the opportunity to shine under the brightest lights in college basketball, and the Atlanta native has put on a show worth seeing. From entering JUCO as an unranked recruit to becoming the fifth-highest-scoring player in the SEC, Edwards’ story is the perfect example of how hard work behind the scenes makes the seemingly impossible a reality.
“A lot of work, a lot of confidence [and] a lot of film,” Edwards said.
Journeyman
Edwards didn’t get a lot of attention out of high school. He was an unranked recruit by every major outlet and ended up committing to Division II Miles College in Birmingham, Alabama. Edwards redshirted for a season in Birmingham before transferring to Dodge City Community College — a junior college over a thousand miles away from his hometown that competes in the NJCAA Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.
In his lone season with the Conquistadors, Edwards averaged 21.9 points per game and led them to a conference title, earning NJCAA First Team All-American honors in the process. The University of North Texas offered Edwards a chance to prove himself against NCAA Division I competition, and the mercurial guard ran with it. An American Athletic Conference First-Team season in which he averaged 19.1 points — and a 3.9 GPA — caught the attention of Vanderbilt’s scouting department, but they weren’t the only ones who had an eye on the rising star. The secret had gotten out about Edwards, and 247Sports ranked him as a 4-star recruit in the portal.
Ultimately, Edwards picked Vanderbilt to be with a program that boasted a strong culture and history but also had room to grow.
“Talking to Ms. Candice [Storey Lee] and talking to Byington, you could tell that everybody had an intention of winning now,” Edwards said. “It means a lot more to come into a program and start winning than to go to an already established, already winning program.”
The new state-of-the-art Huber Center built by Vandy United was also a draw for Edwards, who knew he would find the support he needed to continue his meteoric rise.
“Seeing the facilities [and] seeing the plans that everybody had paved out, [it was clear] they had intentions of winning now,” Edwards said. “I had intentions of winning now, too.
The recent investment in the program coupled with the desire to win provided the perfect stage for Edwards to perform on.
“It was super important to me to be a trailblazer,” Edwards said.
Student
Edwards’ work ethic has transformed him into one of the most effective scorers in the nation. The guard has played at many levels throughout his collegiate career, but his transition to the SEC was easy thanks to the effort he puts in during practice.
“Here [at Vanderbilt], we train like a high-major every day,” Edwards said. “We have one of the best facilities in the country [and] we have strength coaches like Sandman [Jon Sanderson]. I wouldn’t say it was a hard transition, but it is different.”
Furthermore, Edwards has a unique approach to preparing for games that allows him to consistently score in double-digit figures.
“I like to watch games where other guards have had big games and see how they’re scoring,” Edwards said. “If I see a team let [Brycen] Goodine from Oklahoma hit 9 threes, I know I need to be on the gun extra this week. I need to be getting extra shots up so when these open shots are available to me, I just need to knock it down.”
The “student” portion of “student-athlete” is not lost on Edwards either — he is majoring in medicine, health and society and chose Vanderbilt in part due to its academic reputation.
“My mom always told me that going to a school like this is a head start in life,” Edwards said. “So that was always super big to me.”
Showstopper
The transfer from North Texas has turned heads this season for one thing in particular: his shot selection. Edwards is known for taking outrageous shots, but he doesn’t consider them outrageous at all.
The North Texas transfer has sunk prayers from 30 feet deep and drained floaters while hurtling towards the ground — but that’s a normal day at the office for Edwards.
“I take shots that I work on. People might look at it as wild, but it’s not wild to me,” Edwards said. “When I’m in the gym alone working on my game, these are the shots I’m taking.”
Edwards used a miraculous make against Texas as an example — a shot that sent gasps throughout Memorial Gymnasium.
“When I come in the game and it’s time for me to make a shot like I did versus Texas — pump-fake, and-1, throw it to the sky — it looks like a circus shot, but I work on these things,” Edwards said. “It might look wild, but it’s not wild.”
Vanderbilt’s success this season has packed the stands in Memorial Gymnasium — specifically the student section, which was always a goal for Edwards and Co.
“One of the biggest things that we talked about as a team at the beginning of the season was that we’re probably not going to start out with a super big fan base and a big student section,” Edwards said. “We want to be fun to watch. We want to allow them to have a great experience.”
The Commodores have done just that this season, with Edwards leading the way. The guard can frequently be seen celebrating with outstretched arms in front of the student section.
“When I make a shot and turn around, [I can tell] that means a lot to [the students],” Edwards said “I’m bringing them into the game.”
Edwards also recognizes the value that involving the student section brings to games.
“We’re super thankful to have them [the student section],” Edwards said. “I feel like they helped us win two massive games here against Kentucky and Tennessee by just being so loud and hectic. Their presence was definitely felt by the other team and by us.”
The fan presence and unique environment of Memorial Gymnasium give Edwards a home he feels confident in.
“A lot of people are thrown off by the way our benches are set up,” Edwards said. “It’s a tough place to play especially when we have the fans and the entire gym rocking like we’ve had it, so I definitely feel super confident playing at home against anybody.”
The Commodores now face an upward battle towards NCAA Tournament qualification after losing their last three games. But berth or no berth, Edwards has given Vanderbilt a season to remember. The moments he and his teammates orchestrated will live on in Vanderbilt folklore for generations.
Edwards and the rest of Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball will hunker down at home once again to face No. 24 Ole Miss on Feb. 22 at 2:30 p.m. CST. The game will kick off a crucial series of matches that will determine Vanderbilt’s postseason fate.
