This is our sign to stop giving out awards before the NBA season starts. While No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg was the overwhelming favorite to win Rookie of the Year before the season started, the (very) early returns show it might be a closer race than we anticipated. Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe might be the prime contender gunning for the hardware.
Edgecombe's debut was historically thrilling; his 34 points were the most from a rookie since Wilt. And maybe more impressively, his follow-ups to that have been nearly as good. Edgecombe's best game came last night against the Magic, in which he scored 27 points (10/17 FG), dished 7 assists, and had a steal and a block.
The biggest roadblock to Edgecombe being a threat in the ROY race was always going to be role; with Tyrese Maxey and Quentin Grimes in the Sixers backcourt, there was a real chance that he got lost in the shuffle. But a clear pecking order is being developed in Philly, with Edgecombe above Grimes on the depth chart. When Jared McCain returns, things could get a little murky, but Edgecombe has done everything possible to earn 30-plus minutes per game, no matter who else is available.
How can VJ Edgecombe beat Cooper Flagg for Rookie of the Year?
I don't want to scare anyone, but I doubt VJ Edgecombe will average 25 points per game this season, and I don't think Cooper Flagg will have many more two-point, 1-for-9 shooting performances, either. In other words, the race is going to tighten up as teams start zeroing in on Edgecombe, and Flagg gets more comfortable in Dallas.
I think if Edgecombe hovers around the 14-point, 5 assist, 4 rebound mark throughout the season (while making the occasional highlight defensive play) then he'll keep himself in the ROY conversation. Counting stats are massively important in ROY discussions, for good reason; efficiency shouldn't be considered too heavily for first-year guys. Posting big stat lines as a rookie is impressive, and the advanced stats and impact metrics will come along later.
In the (very) early going, the other ROY contenders appear to be Tre Johnson, Dylan Harper, Kon Knueppel, and perhaps Cedric Coward. That one was obvious to anyone who respects the 509, though. This rookie class was always going to be impressive, and it's much more than a two-horse race. But Edgecombe and Sixers fans still have their eyes on one horse (get it? Mavericks?)
VJ Edgecombe's combination of a large role, a good (?) team, and the potential for impressive stats on both ends might give him the edge over the rest of the field... As long as Flagg doesn't go supernova mode when Jason Kidd finally lets him play power forward.