The transition to the NBA wasn't supposed to be this complicated for Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe.
Ideally, the third overall pick in the last draft would ease into a lineup that included a couple of future Hall of Famers in Joel Embiid and Paul George. He would be paired in the backcourt with up-and-coming superstar Tyrese Maxey, who has established himself as one of the most feared offensive guards in the league.
His role would be one of relying on his tremendous athleticism to create some offense for himself, be a menace on defense with his tremendous one-on-one guarding skills, and occasionally wow fans and teammates with his quick bounce off the floor that lead to jaw-dropping dunks, blocks and rebounds.
That was the ideal thought.
As we know with any NBA team, particularly if you are a member of the Sixers, complications arise during an 82-game season. And it didn't take long for Edgecombe to realize the NBA was a different place, nor long for the Sixers to view the specialness of their rookie.
Opening night in Boston, the Baylor product poured in 34 points in his 42 minutes of play. He also hauled in seven rebounds and dealt three assists. He and Maxey combined for 74 points in a season-opening win. Edgecombe launched 26 shots that night, still a season-high, including 13 three-pointers. The performance didn't just open eyes, it blew the minds of basketball experts throughout the league.
And he really hasn't stopped doing just that.
VJ Edgecombe is absolutely ridiculous lmao
Again, I know I sound like a broken record, but at least once a game he does something that makes you audibly go “ohhhh” & that’s just not normal for a rookie. The kid is unbelievable.pic.twitter.com/UeMqgBNTeV
— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) March 22, 2026
There is a veteran presence from the 20-year old on the floor that is beyond his years. Off the court, his shyness in front of cameras - often breaking out in laughter in the middle of an interview, his banter with teammates and unbounded energy, prove his youth. It has all wound together for a special season for the Bimini, Bahamas native.
He has played in 64 of the team's 71 games this season, showing a durability few rookies are able to achieve. In the games he's played, the Sixers are 10 games over .500. He has been asked to be the key defender at times, assigned to cover the opponents' best scorer. And with the plethora of injuries and a 25-game suspension to George, coach Nick Nurse has loaded on Edgecombe the responsibilities of ball-handler, scorer and, most impressively, team leader.
For the past couple of weeks, the team has been without Embiid due to an oblique strain, Maxey, with tendon damage in pinky, George, who is set to come back on Wednesday from his suspension, and Kelly Oubre, Jr. with ligament damage in his elbow.
The constant for Nurse has been Edgecombe.
Since returning seven games ago from a back injury that cost him three games, he has averaged 19.1 points, seven rebounds and close to five assists. But it is his floor leadership that really has stood out. Everything goes through him of late, on both ends of the court. He commands the respect of teammates in that role, not vocally, but because of his play.
"I talked to him a little bit before the game and he's doing a good job of organizing us, really trying to figure out where to get things," said Nurse to reporters in Utah after Saturday's 126-116 win over the Jazz in which Edgecombe contributed 22 points and 13 rebounds. "The rebounding was huge. I thought he was just doing a really good job of leading the team at both ends. He was trying to get us to do better and do the right things and kind of leading the team. It's a good way to lead when you go and grab 11 defensive rebounds, come flying in there and finish off plays like that. Very, very good night for him."
A microcosm of his season in which he is averaging 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4 assists.
There are 11 games remaining in the season for the Sixers, beginning Monday at home against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. It seems possible that Embiid will return for that game.
George will be back on Wednesday when the team hosts the Chicago Bulls, and coach Nick Nurse said that George is a full go, with no restrictions on playing minutes. Oubre will be looked at this week to try and find a time for his return. Maxey was running up and down the floor in Utah, catching passes and shooting layups. He is to be evaluated in about a week.
In the meantime, Edgecombe charges on, leading the team to five wins in their last seven games. They now sit at 39-32 on the season, tied with Atlanta for the sixth spot in the East (the Hawks own the tiebreaker over the Sixers) and just a game out of the fifth spot.
VJ Edgecombe is focused on one thing and one thing only... winning. | @FultonBank pic.twitter.com/v82955Fndo
With reinforcements about to arrive, not much will change in the eyes of the humble Edgecombe. He'll still be a leader due to the actions of his play. If needed, he'll score. He'll always be a major presence at the defensive end. He can handle the ball and run the team far better than he could earlier in the season. He'll take shots late in the shot clock, quarter, half or game, because he's been doing that successfully all season long.
He'll just continue to be him. And because of the added roles he's been carrying due to teammates being sidelined, he's now even a much better and versatile version of that on the basketball court.
Dominick Barlow left Saturday's game with a sprained left ankle. Nurse said after the game that X Rays were negative. ... Over his past 10 games, Quentin Grimes is averaging 21.9 points after scoring 25 against the tanking Jazz. ... The Sixers won the rebounding battle in Utah by 64-45. ... Trendon Watford posted 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists against the Jazz, ... Former Sixer Jared McCain returns to Philly on Monday with his Oklahoma City Thunder team. Since being traded near the trade deadline, the second-year guard has averaged 12.3 points in his 19 games and has shot 44 percent from three-point range.
