The Philadelphia 76ers picked VJ Edgecombe as the No. 3 overall pick of a stacked draft class that also included talents such as Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and Kon Knueppel. The 21-year-old did little wrong in his rookie season in Philadelphia, averaging 16 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting at 51% overall. He finished third in the Rookie of the Year race after starting 75 games and effectively being Philadelphia’s second option behind Tyrese Maxey for much of the season due to injuries to Paul George and Joel Embiid.
Now, however, the new-look 76ers are largely expected to compete for the title next season, and many expect Edgecombe’s importance and playing time to reduce drastically. That puts him in a position to realistically stun the NBA community by emerging as a vital cog in the 76ers machine, especially if they actually end up living up to the expectations.
VJ Edgecombe can easily emerge as one of the 76ers’ most important players
After LeBron James and Jaylen Brown joined the 76ers, many claimed that it would lead to Edgecombe’s role and playing time being reduced. Rich Paul was one of the first to talk about the situation, and he claimed LeBron and Brown’s influence would only be a positive for the 21-year-old.
Not only would Edgecombe get to play in only his second year on a team with a realistic chance of winning the championship, but one can also expect that he will get to learn a lot from the veterans. The likes of Brown and LeBron are proven winners and can also give Edgecombe the insight into what it takes to actually excel in the NBA over prolonged periods of time. That is precisely what Paul hinted at, as he claimed Edgecombe will only get to learn things from the players around him.
Moving on, many believe that the new-look 76ers will struggle to hand Edgecombe the kind of playing time he had last season. Across his 75 starts, Edgecombe averaged 35 minutes per game, second only to Maxey.
However, we expect Philadelphia to need Edgecombe especially in case of injuries to the likes of LeBron James and Joel Embiid, who can also be expected to miss time at least late in the regular season. Edgecombe will have plenty of games where he actually ends up being the star man he was last season, and has himself indicated he is excited to play alongside his senior teammates.
The former Baylor star will be well aware that this is a major opportunity for him to play an important role in a title-calibre team, and the experience will only help him grow as a player. Edgecombe already has a high ceiling, and already seems to have earned the respect of his new teammates.
“I love VJ already. That’s one of my favorite people in the world, and we just met,” Jaylen Brown said about the 21-year-old recently, per The Inquirer.
Article Continues BelowThe bottom line, hence, is simple. Even if Edgecombe ends up being benched more often than he was last season, there will be plenty of games the 76ers will need him to star in, and plenty of others where he will be leading Philadelphia’s bench unit. That also potentially gives him a run at the Sixth Man of the Year award.
““I always say that we got a eight-year vet right out of the blocks with his composure and his demeanor,” Nick Nurse said.
In conclusion, Edgecombe not only has the talent, he is also surrounded by the right people to help him take his game to the next level in the 2026-27 season. The 21-year-old may only be entering the second year of his career. However, he looks ready to take the NBA by storm, and we will not be surprised if he ends up exceeding expectations in the coming season.