Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse wants VJ Edgecombe to be even more aggressive after the rookie’s historic 34-point season opener. The 20-year-old got off to a hot start and never looked back. It was the third-most points in an NBA debut and the most since Wilt Chamberlain in 1959, but Nurse wasn’t satisfied. The head coach pointed to several areas where he wanted to see Edgecombe do more.
Nurse called the performance “pretty good”, but wanted him taking a few more threes, attacking spots inside the 3-point line, and being more aggressive in transition. Fans can hear Nurse’s full comments from his postgame press conference below.
#Sixers coach Nick Nurse speaks on VJ Edgecombe’s game after the win here in Boston: pic.twitter.com/oCz5kDVRNM
— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) October 23, 2025
Edgecombe took the early lead in the race for Rookie of the Year with his masterful performance. He is a blur with the ball and threw down a thunderous dunk that will be all over the highlights. It was an impressive night for the Sixers backcourt, but Nurse plans on having VJ do even more.
Nick Nurse wants to further unleash VJ Edgecombe after historic opener
The 20-year-old finished with 34 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two turnovers in 42 minutes of action. He made 13 of his 26 field goal attempts and was five of 13 from 3-point range. Edgecombe missed three free throws in six attempts, but looked virtually unstoppable in the impressive win.
The 76ers played fast and clearly are making the shift to the Maxey and Edgecombe timeline. Joel Embiid played just 20 minutes and finished with four points on one of nine shooting from the field. Philly was outscored by 16 points with him on the floor in a nightmare performance from the former MVP.
Getting Maxey and Edgecombe in transition and firing away is the Sixers' path to contention this season. It is why coach Nurse wants to see the rookie be more aggressive. He took 26 shots in the season opener, and this won’t be his last 30-point game as a rookie if the head coach gets his way.
76ers fans should be ecstatic about the rookie’s historic night. It was crystal clear that the franchise drafted a special talent during the preseason, but nobody expected this debut. Nurse immediately doubling down and wanting to see more is a great sign. Maxey quickly became a star in Philadelphia. Edgecombe is on that same path, and Nurse is no stranger to developing talent.
The Philadelphia 76ers want VJ Edgecombe to be aggressive in looking for his shots and creating plays. Their young backcourt duo stood out in an impressive win over the rival Celtics. They will need them to keep it up all season if the Sixers want to make the playoffs. It is why Nurse is encouraging his rookie guard to do more. Expect him to be further unleashed as the season progresses, which is a scary thought for the rest of the league.