Heading into their first season, a lot of rookies selected in the lottery range (picks one to 14) want to be the man right away. However, V.J. Edgecombe isn’t your typical third overall pick, and the Philadelphia 76ers – with multiple all-star caliber players – aren’t your classic lottery team. Edgecombe – well aware of his unique situation – appeared on Paul George’s podcast “Podcast P” and what he said should make every 76ers fan ready to run through a brick wall.
Edgecombe revealed who he models his game after
Edgecombe told George and his crew that he models his game after Dwyane Wade and Victor Oladipo during his tenure with the Indiana Pacers. When he was asked about current players he studies, Edgecombe brought up Anthony Edwards. Defensively, he revealed he emulates Jrue Holiday, Luguentz Dort, and Derrick White. While he didn’t have a stunning pull like Carter Bryant did with Toumani Camara, Edgecombe is watching the perfect variety of players.
With such athleticism, emulating elite downhill scorers like Wade, Oladipo, and Edwards is exactly what Edgecombe should be doing. Not to mention, all three of those players were versatile scorers with many counters to fall back on if the drive was taken away by opposing defenses. Funny enough, fans have forecasted Edgecombe’s ceiling to be a mix of those three players with some Jimmy Butler comparisons sprinkled in.
Edgecombe told @PodcastPShow his goals are to win Rookie of the Year, make the All-Rookie team, receive All-Defensive honors, and win a championship. https://t.co/Lur65EgzYt
— Jacob Moreno (@jmoreno76ers) July 28, 2025
But, it’s who Edgecombe watches defensively that excites me the most, at least for his rookie campaign. Holiday, Dort, and White were amongst the best point-of-attack defenders in the NBA at one point in their respective careers. Edgecombe is already a great perimeter defender, so if he can master some of the tricks of the trade that’ve propelled those players to an all-defensive type of status, it would be massive for his development.
Edgecombe could be on his way to stardom already
The beauty of selecting Edgecombe is that the 76ers got a player who has all-star potential, but can also contribute next season. It remains to be seen how much he can give. Regardless, with his mix of athleticism and quality defense, there is a place for him in the rotation. If he can hone in on his defensive capability and improve his perimeter shooting, he could end up having a similar pathway to stardom as Paul George, ironically enough.
I’m not saying Edgecombe will be as good as players like George or Wade were, but I’m not shutting down the possibility. He’s focused on all the right things – namely how he can fit in on a team with championship aspirations. Playing for what should be a playoff-caliber team with a great amount of talent will only help Edgecombe evolve into a star.