VJ Edgecombe is every team’s dream

CAMDEN - Every team across every sport wants sponges.

No, not the padded tool used to scrub surfaces.

Rather, the mindset that exudes humility. Players eager to learn and improve, soaking up any and all wisdom their older allies have to offer.

Andre Drummond says rookie VJ Edgecombe skipped exchanging pleasantries with him in favor of unloading a barrage of questions on the veteran big.

Kyle Lowry calls Edgecombe "Young Buck". Edgecombe wants to leverage that their lockers are side by side to learn as much as he can.

The incoming lottery pick has impressed everyone he's come across in this organization in the short time he's been a Sixer.

He's appealed to Joel Embiid on a personal level. The big guy sees some of himself in the rookie.

"I like him a lot. Obviously I talk to him a lot. Even as soon as we drafted him, I just knew I would like him. I like his background, kind of reminds me of myself. Coming from another country and having a lot of hardships growing up," Embiid said at media day. 

"He's an amazing kid so far. It's been good having him around, talking to him. Trying to help."

Tyrese Maxey, the culture-setter of the franchise, has already taken the reward for last season's misery under his wing.

They worked out together in August. Maxey treated him and other youngsters to a trip to Disneyland in Anaheim. Edgecombe had to wear a "goofy hat". Sorry kid, rookie duties.

As Maxey has familiarized himself with Edgecombe's game, he's been impressed with his intensity and effort.

"VJ's a special talent. I think one of his talents that a lot of players don't really use is how hard he plays on both ends of the floor, whether that's offensive rebounding, defensive rebounding, guarding the ball, playing in transition," Maxey said at media day.

"Those are little things that a lot of people don't do. So I think he's going to be really good at that. He likes to learn. He wants to get better."

The sky is the limit for him, Maxey says. Kelly Oubre Jr. insists that the sky is actually beyond the limit for the Bahamas native.

Maxey has noticed that Edgecombe likes to work out. Paul George has been back in the area for three weeks. He's seen Edgecombe in the gym every day since.

"He's the type of guy that likes to work out. He likes to actually get in the gym and work. He's kind of like Jared," Maxey said. 

"So I think those two are a good start to the culture we're trying to build."

Nick Nurse is enthused about Edgecombe's motor. It makes for consistency in the proverbial lab.

"He's got a lot of really good qualities, and one of the qualities he has is he's got a really good engine...or gas tank, whatever you want. And that means he's able to put in a lot of work in a day and come back and do it again, and do it again, and do it again," Nurse said at media day.

"There's not much wavering, if any at all, on his day-to-day work ethic. That's a great place to start when you're a young player."

How is Nurse going to use him on offense?

He thinks on the ball...and off the ball. Go figure. Nurse says he can see Edgecombe playing some point guard and some small forward. Hell, maybe he'll get looks in a four-guard rotation from time to time. 

"He has a pretty good tempo and feel right now. I really am impressed with that. He athletically does things every single day that pop off the page and you're going to be like, 'How did he get from here to here or from there to there?' or whatever," Nurse said.

The head coach suggested that Edgecombe's shooting is a focus of improvement. They've put extensive time in on that already.

"Kind of from day two after we drafted him. He's made some great strides there," Nurse said.

So, what does individual success look like in year one? 

Nurse thinks it's simply minutes played.

"At the end of the year, how many minutes did he play? Because we need to let him ride through some of the young rookie ups and downs. Let him play through some mistakes. But there's a lot of positives that we've seen so far."

If Edgecombe is burdened by expectations, he doesn't show it. 

"Coach just wants me to go out there and perform. Give great effort at all times I'm on the floor," the no. 3 overall pick in the 2025 draft said on Friday. 

"Whatever happens from there, happens."