Sep 26, 2025; Camden, NJ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers VJ Edgecombe (77) poses for a photo during media day. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Before he ever stepped foot on an NBA court, VJ Edgecombe was excited about how the style of play would accentuate his offensive game.
He talked about it at his introductory press conference days after being drafted third overall by Philadelphia. He talked about it last week before the Sixers departed for Abu Dhabi.
The spacing was better. There was a defensive three seconds violation in the NBA, making it impossible for interior defenders to endlessly clog the paint.
His NBA debut, a showcase against the New York Knicks some seven thousand miles away from the states on Thursday afternoon, was Edgecombe's first opportunity to illuminate the skills he felt he couldn't show at the collegiate level.
Proven right? That would be a tad generous.
Validated? Perhaps.
It wasn't a sterling introduction for his scoring game. Edgecombe missed five of his six three-point tries. That he confidently attempted six triples was an encouraging indicator of how he feels about his shot.
Edgecombe had some awkward misses at the rim. To be expected out of a rookie who has yet to master slowing the game down with the ball in his hands.
At least he attacked the rim with enough force to earn five free throws.
Rome wasn't built in a day. Edgecombe won't be, either.
His defensive playmaking didn't pop. When Edgecombe's defensive playmaking doesn't pop, you need to watch closely to see if he's doing the little things.
He lost track of assignments off the ball at times. He's capable of recovering quickly to erase those mistakes.
Edgecombe didn't narrow out on ball screens, getting bumped off his pursuit on the initial and re-screens. That will come with experience and awareness, although he's never going to be smaller than he is right now.
A number of his closeouts lacked control, resulting in drives off the swing pass. He knows how to chop his feet to create short, controlled steps. Discipline and resisting the urge to sound the alarms when the ball goes to his man will take care of that habit.
But in between the erratic shooting and the OK-but-not-great defense, there were signs that the kid was held back by the limitations of college basketball.
Edgecombe has drawn comparisons to stars such as Dwyane Wade. There were shades of Wade in one of Edgecombe's first touches of the game:
Think this is both what made Edgecombe a high-level prospect at Baylor AND draws the comparisons to Dwyane Wade.
Attacks the rebound, transition rim pressure, makes a play. pic.twitter.com/dbhusTWgYj
Not only did he look like Wade, but he applied skills he showed in college at the NBA level. His game will translate. His knack for fighting the ball away from foes will translate.
No, he didn't pin any shot attempts against the backboard. No, he didn't fly into the picture to heroically meet dunks or layups at their summits.
But Edgecombe did use defense to create offense.
His play on the offensive end stood out most.
Nick Nurse tested him with minutes at point guard. Edgecombe had moments of brilliance as a ball-handler.
He waited for Josh Hart to step out of position in help and then rifled a pass to Jabari Walker, who drove the slot and got fouled on a possession in the first half.
Edgecombe flashed his intelligence off the ball, as well:
VJ Edgecombe. Excellent hoops. pic.twitter.com/i4xjlVOvGe
He back-cuts when Deuce McBride over-plays the passing lane. The assault on the paint forces Mitchell Robinson to step up and stop the ball. Without a moment to think about it, Edgecombe connects Eric Gordon to Johni Broome, catching a bounce pass and serving a dump-off to the big man for a score.
That is an advanced understanding of the game.
It would be easy for an overzealous rookie to miss open teammates, instead calling his own number in impossible situations.
When the ball swung Edgecombe's way in the middle of the third quarter, he attacked the gap and collapsed New York's interior defense to set Kelly Oubre Jr. up for a corner three on the weak side.
That he looked able as a point guard opens up a number of possibilities for the Sixers. They can experiment with Tyrese Maxey serving as the shooting guard, the role at which he's seen his most explosive play. They can have the best of both worlds on the other end of the floor, Maxey taking on more like-sized guards while Edgecombe handles the bigger backcourt partner.
And if the Sixers can find a balance between Maxey and Edgecombe running offense while also solving defensive concerns, it slots Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes almost perfectly into the backup guard spots.
Edgecombe wow'd in moments off the ball. His cuts were strong and athletic, like a wide receiver running a route.
He danced with defenders off the ball, working to create space. With space came angles to burst behind his dance partner, empowering teammates to play quarterback as he progressed toward the rim.
Edgecombe should soak in the milestone for a few hours. Most don't get there. But when he wakes up on Friday, it's just another workday.
