The Philadelphia 76ers are anticipating great things from VJ Edgecombe in his rookie campaign. The third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Baylor standout is projected to be a key player for the squad right off the bat and is expected to quickly entrench himself in the team’s pecking order even as a first-year player.
Edgecombe did not see a lot of action aside from his brief stint in the Summer League, but his play therein was more than enough to win people over. Hence, while he will still be learning the ropes from his more tenured teammates in the upcoming campaign, he should have little problem acclimating to the pace and the stylings of the NBA game.
In fact, head coach Nick Nurse, like many others, heap praise on the rookie. When asked about his role next season, the champion tactician wasted no time affirming what all 76ers fans were hopeful for.
Nurse said that he will allow Edgecombe to play through mistakes next season while playing a prominent part in the rotation. That is definitely a much-needed confirmation, since Edgecombe badly needs a sizable serving of minutes to showcase what he can do as a potential cornerstone for the franchise in the foreseeable future.
76ers fans should get excited about VJ Edgecombe next season
Edgecombe has already been on the receiving end of a lot of compliments from his teammates and the coaching staff early in the training camp, and the stage seems to be set for him to exhibit why the 76ers took him with the third overall fit despite questions about fit before the entire draft circuit kicked off.
A bona fide three-level scorer who has superb athleticism and willingness to dip his fingers on defense, Edgecombe should be a formidable rookie next season who could viably content for the Rookie of the Year award.
To make the deal even sweeter, with Jared McCain expected to be out for quite some time and Quentin Grimes not having the benefit of a full training camp at this rate, Edgecombe could perhaps even be a starter right from the get-go next to Tyrese Maxey in the backcourt.
Of course, there will be growing pains. Guards often take a steeper learning curve as rookies, and Edgecombe’s playmaking and three-point shooting need a lot of brushing up. However, he is more than talented enough to overcome those hurdles early on.
As can be gleaned from what has been said from left to right, things are looking up for VJ Edgecombe, and the 76ers have nothing to lose, but everything to gain with their new rookie already turning a lot of heads.