Philadelphia 76ers rookie V.J. Edgecombe says the team are “contenders when healthy” and says he wants to improve his jump shot entering his first season. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Getty Images
V.J. Edgecombe should be one of the more intriguing rookies entering the 2025-26 NBA season.
The 20-year-old is wise beyond his years and more mature than your typical NBA rookie. The Bahamian native was the No. 3 overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2025 NBA Draft and is expected to play a key role on a Sixers squad loaded with veterans.
The good thing about Philadelphia is they’re an annual playoff contender and when healthy, they project as one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. The team is loaded with stars in Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey along with familiar names such as Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry.
But they also have an infusion of youngsters ready to help lead the franchise in the ensuing years including Jared McCain, Quentin Grimes and Justin Edwards.
“I feel we’re contenders in the league when healthy,” says Edgecombe confidently in a one-on-one interview. “I’ve been here a few months and you can tell.”
V.J. Edgecombe Outlines ‘Winning’ As Objective Entering Rookie Year
The Sixers had a rough season last year despite entering the season with championship expectations following the acquisition of nine-time All-Star forward Paul George. George was expected to be the piece that would lift the Sixers over their playoff ceiling. However, injuries to all three of their key players played a key role in the team’s demise as Philadelphia went 24-58 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17 season.
It’s worth noting that Embiid was limited to just 19 games last year, George missed 41 games and Maxey missed 30 games himself. If all three are healthy with Edgecombe and the youngsters in the lineup, Philadelphia could be one of the biggest threats in the Eastern Conference once again.
Without hesitation, Edgecombe outlines “winning” as his objective for this season, not individual glory.
“I just want to win, man,” says Edgecombe. “That’s the main thing for me. Team-based wise, we just want to win and just pray we have a very healthy season. Obviously, injuries are unfortunate and it happens. It’s life, but we just hope for an injury-free season. That would be the best thing for us as a team.”
While it’s early on in his NBA career, Edgecombe has already made a tremendous impression. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard made his preseason debut against the New York Knicks – some see the Knicks as the top threat in the East – and led the Sixers with 14 points. He also displayed his all-around game, ranking second in rebounds (six) and assists (three) on the team.
Head coach Nick Nurse raved over his young rookie’s defensive ability following the game, saying that he caused “havoc” with his quickness and physicality in his preseason debut.
V.J. Edgecombe Displays Maturity Rarely Seen In 20-Year-Old Rookie
There’s no doubt about Edgecombe’s physical gifts and defensive abilities. The one key area where he needs to improve his jump shooting, something that Edgecombe recognizes. If he’s able to improve in that area in a league that is dominated by three-point shooting, Edgecombe could very well emerge as one of the Sixers’ top players despite how star-heavy the roster is.
“Definitely my shot,” Edgecombe says when asked which area he wants to improve in most. “Everyone can become a better shooter. That’s the main thing for me is just to be a better shooter.”
When talking to Edgecombe, you feel as if you’re talking to an established veteran who has spent years in the NBA rather than a player who spent just one year in college. A lot of that has to do with his upbringing, says his agent Thad Foucher.
Edgecombe didn’t come over to the United States until he was in the ninth grade, initially settling in West Palm Beach, Florida.
International players tend to grow up faster and display a different level of maturity compared to their American counterparts, says Foucher. Foucher has been an agent for decades and was a consultant with Adidas when they signed future NBA greats such as Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady back in the 90’s.
He currently represents stars such as Evan Mobley and Stephon Castle in addition to Edgecombe.
“The one thing is the culture,” says Foucher. “The culture is totally different than what it is here. When those guys come here, they have a level of maturity. Not saying the guys here aren’t mature, but their environment doesn’t dictate what the environment dictates where these other guys are from. It’s more of them communicating with each other, rather than the individuals in which we see over in America.”
Another notable thing about Edgecombe is that despite the fact he emerged as a top-three draft pick, he wasn’t one of those college athletes earning a ton of money or signing a bunch of deals through NIL during his one year with the Baylor Bears.
He says he only had one major sponsorship deal in Adidas and his focus was on basketball during his lone college season.
“To be honest, I didn’t really have much off court NIL going on,” says Edgecombe. “The main thing was for me to focus on the year. I really didn’t have much off court NIL. It was all Baylor to be honest.”
One of the main things Foucher outlines is “communication” and how in the Bahamas people aren’t constantly on their cell phones as you see in America. That plays a big role in the maturity and communication development of a player such as Edgecombe.
“Let’s talk about his maturity,” says Foucher of Edgecombe. “I don’t think that’s a mistake. I went down to Bimini, where he’s from, and the island is totally different than what we’ve seen any place in the States. Everybody down in that island communicates with each other. You don’t find people stuck to their cell phones. You don’t find people inside all the time. Everybody’s in the street, everybody is communicating. Everybody in the neighborhood knows each other – everybody in the barbershop, the grocery store. It is what America used to be 50 years ago. It’s what it is down there.”
That should pay major dividends for Edgecombe as he begins his NBA career on an Eastern Conference contender with a deep mix of veterans and youngsters. He’s the youngest player on the Sixers’ roster, but they have six players no older than 25 years old. Meanwhile, they also have five veterans at least 31 years old.
“I talk to literally everyone on the team,” says Edgecombe. “I’ve been building relationships with everyone on the team. I talk a lot to Tyrese Maxey. He’s only 24, I don’t want to make him feel old, but Joel Embiid and I are super close. PG and I are close, EG who was also my Bahamian teammate with the national team. I’m in a great situation. I thought this worked out perfectly for me just to learn from superstars and vets, people that’s been in the league for a minute.”