August is typically when the NBA offseason truly begins, so fans are desperate to find any sliver of basketball they can. That’s where 76ers’ assistant coach Rico Hines comes in. He annually hosts five-on-five offseason runs, which various NBA players regularly play in. V.J. Edgecombe is among the latest batch of players to suit up and he gave 76ers fans even more reason to anticipate his NBA debut.
Edgecombe received lots of on-ball reps in the film available, which was also the case in his brief Summer League stint with the 76ers. He continued to showcase his flashy athleticism, but also displayed great aggressiveness and poise as a slasher. Attacking the basket is something many believe to be a weakness for Edgecombe, but he appeared comfortable doing so.
Breaking down Edgecombe's performance
In one possession, Edgecombe utilized a ghost screen set by fellow 76er Justin Edwards to draw his defender towards his hip. From there, Edgecombe had a clear pathway to the rim and threw down a thunderous dunk.
Edgecombe ran a pick-and-roll with Dominick Barlow – another teammate – in the next play on the film provided. Edgecombe was met with drop coverage and he countered with a fake dribble towards the left. This ended up freezing his defender and gave Edgecombe the chance to cash in on a pull-up jumper from elbow range.
Later, he ran a high pick-and-roll with Johni Broome – the fourth 76ers player spotted in these runs. Surprisingly, the defense responded by hedging Edgecombe to seal off any driving lanes. Instead, he confidently stepped into a pull-up three from the wing and drilled it.
In the last available possession, Edgecombe knifed through an unset defense for an easy layup off a fast-break. This is something we’ll likely see a lot from Edgecombe, especially with his ability as a defensive playmaker.
This was great for Edgecombe's development
No, the Rico Hines runs don’t parallel NBA intensity by any means. However, it’s great to see Edgecombe getting more opportunity as a ball-handler, which will only propel his growth in year one and beyond. Considering the 76ers connection between Edgecombe and Hines, you have to figure this was by design. Edgecombe running actions with his 76ers teammates is also huge for chemistry purposes.
It will be interesting to see how Nick Nurse will use Edgecombe and how much of a chance he’ll have in the upcoming season. Needless to say, Philadelphia’s back-court is loaded, and once Quentin Grimes re-signs, playing time will have to be fought for.