Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe burst onto the scene with an opening night performance that won't soon be forgotten. Edgecombe erupted for 34 points against the rival Boston Celtics, proving that he has the potential to thrive against even top-tier defenders.
The success that's flown under the radar, however, may be the most significant of all: Edgecombe shut down every one of the Celtics' four best scorers.
Edgecombe's offensive production came as a surprise to many, as the criticism he faced entering the NBA Draft was that his skill set was too unrefined to immediately contribute as a scorer. Perhaps that will prove to be the case, but on opening night, he garnered comparisons to Dwyane Wade.
If there's one area in which many expect Edgecombe to excel all but immediately, however, it's on the defensive end of the floor.
Edgecombe displayed compelling elements of his defensive potential on opening night. It's flown a bit under the radar, however, due to the brilliance he displayed as a scorer and perhaps the fact that it wasn't reflected in the box score.
It simply can't go unmentioned that Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard, Anfernee Simons, and Derrick White combined to shoot just 2-of-11 when guarded by Edgecombe.
Celtics' top four scorers shot 2-of-11 against VJ Edgecombe
Brown is a four-time All-Star who has averaged 24.0 points per game on .483/.354/.751 shooting since 2020. Simons, meanwhile, compiled marks of 19.9 points and 3.2 three-point field goals made per game on .436/.381/.901 shooting over the previous four seasons.
Furthermore, Pritchard is the reigning Sixth Man of the Year who shot at a clip of .472/.407/.845 in 2024-25, and White averaged 16.4 points on .442/.384/.839 shooting last season.
With all four safely established as high-level scoring threats, Edgecombe's dominance on defense is as encouraging as his scoring. He played more than 60 partial possessions against the Celtics' top four scorers, and often deterred shots from being attempted in his vecinity.
When the Celtics' top scorers actually got shots up against Edgecombe, they fell at a clip of just 18.2 percent—including an 0-of-5 mark from beyond the arc.
It's clearly irrational to expect Edgecombe to hold opponents to 18.2 percent shooting on a nightly basis. What he managed to do against the Celtics as a defender, however, is indicative of the All-Defense potential he's displayed at every level up to this point in his career.
The fact that Edgecombe managed to play such smothering defense while still scoring 34 points is a testament to how special of a player he could become.
Edgecombe isn't just a dynamic shot creator hoping to receive the necessary touches to hone his skill and become undeniable when shot distribution becomes a topic. He's willing to take on the most difficult matchups on the defensive end of the floor and proved with the Baylor Bears that he can come out on the winning end of such encounters.
If the regular season opener against the Boston Celtics is a sign of things to come, then the rare and coveted glory of two-way brilliance could be in Edgecombe's future.