Ad Disclosure
V.J. Edgecombe Flashes Star Potential in Historic Rookie Debut
By Sean Barnard
Published:
If the Sixers’ reward for last year’s 24-win was walking away with V.J. Edgecombe, it very well may have been worth it.
The third-overall pick announced his presence on the NBA level in one of the most dominant debut performances of all time. Edgecombe helped spearhead the Sixers’ 117-116 victory over the Boston Celtics, finishing with 34 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, while shooting 13-26 from the field and 5-for-13 from beyond the three-point arc. This broke the Sixers franchise record of 30 points in an NBA debut, previously held by Allen Iverson, and was the third-most in NBA history. He also set the NBA record with most points scored in the first quarter by a rookie in his debut with 14, previously held by LeBron James.
Beyond just the raw stats, it stood out how fearless Edgecombe looked. He is the best athlete the Sixers have had on the roster since Andre Iguodala and will have a case for surpassing him. There are sure to be some rim-rocking dunks all season, and he did a solid job starting off the highlight reel in the season opener. But Edgecombe is also a functional athlete with real basketball IQ that is rare for players of this archetype, and especially at this age. The Sixers made it an emphasis to put the ball in his hand as a decision-maker at a more regular rate than is expected for a first-year player.
For example, this is the first basket the Sixers scored in the game shown below. The Sixers run a dribble-handoff with Joel Embiid as Edgecombe comes up from the corner. He puts the ball on the ground and attacks the rim, which forces Sam Hauser to rotate over and leave his man. Edgecombe reads it, kicks it to Kelly Oubre Jr. on the opposite wing, and the Sixers get the game started with a made three-pointer.
Another uncommon trait for players this inexperienced was Edgecombe’s ability to identify mismatches. His combination of quickness and athleticism will make him one of the most elite athletes in the NBA right from day one. Whenever there was a path to the rim available or a chance to rise up over the top of traffic, Edgecombe took it. Here, he notices Celtics’ big man Xavier Tillman had switched to the perimeter to guard him and blowing right by him to dunk with authority.
We should not overreact too much to just one game. I remember having a similar feeling watching Michael Carter-Williams finish with 22 points, 12 assists, nine steals, and seven rebounds in a victory over the Miami Heat in his NBA debut. Despite how good his looked in his first NBA showing, Carter -Williams has played himself out of the NBA and most recently made his debut as a professional boxer in May.
But this did not have the feeling of the splash-in-the-pan type of performance that even Carter-Williams did at the time. Edgecombe could not have had a better debut, and the vision of the Sixers’ backcourt of the future is clear.
Other Sixes Notes:
Edgecombe rightfully takes the headlines, but Tyrese Maxey looked to be the best player on the floor for most of the matchup. The former All-Star finished with 40 points, six assists, two steals, and two rebounds, while shooting 7-for-9 from beyond the three-point arc in the victory. He had Celtics’ defenders looking like fools on the perimeter with his array of dribble moves and step backs. Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain still will make a push and surely play a huge role in the team, but it is looking pretty clear that the starting backcourt of this Sixers team for the foreseeable future will be Maxey and Edgecombe. The two brought some real intensity on the defensive side of the ball, combining for three steals and a block, and looked really comfortable alongside each other. After a turbulent past year on the court, it was nice to see Maxey look like the talent he has shown to be and back on his proper trajectory.
The biggest negative takeaway of the night was Joel Embiid. After excitement began to grow following his preseason appearance, Embiid looked like a guy who had not played competitive basketball in quite some time. He finished the matchup with just four points, six rebounds, and two assists, while shooting 1-for-9 from the field and being a team-worst minus-16. The former MVP played just 20 minutes and checked out of the game for the final 9:18 of the fourth quarter. Nick Nurse told reporters he would be on a minutes limit before the game, but it was discouraging all around.
It is a bit puzzling that, just based on the eye test that he seemed to move better in Friday night’s preseason game than he did in the season opener just five days later. He finished with 14 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds in his 19 minutes of play across his first preseason action since 2023. But this is likely the reality of Embiid’s physical health to an extent. It is going to be a bit unpredictable for what level he is at on a night-to-night basis. It is worth at least noting that Embiid has been a slow starter to seasons throughout his career, but this surely was not a performance that made you feel better about the state of his body.
To put a bit of a positive spin on it, I don’t think there was another time in Embiid’s entire career that he went scoreless in the first quarter or was benched for the final nine minutes while the Sixers went on to win. The identity of the franchise no longer lives and dies with the 7-foot Cameroonian. When Embiid is healthy and able, he surely will continue to play a notable role. But the team was able to adjust on the fly and find a way to win without him, and should be prepared to do so all year.
It was nice to see some legitimate fight and a spark in this Sixers team, which was absent over the entirety of last season. They entered the fourth quarter trailing 86-75 before outscoring the Celtics 42-30 in the final period to produce the outright victory. This is not the same variation of the Celtics that won the NBA championship two seasons ago, but a likely playoff team with All-Star talent on it.
Nick Nurse is also putting his money where his mouth is regarding the youth movement. Neither Eric Gordon nor Kyle Lowry saw the floor while Andre Drummond played just three total minutes. Two-way forward Dominick Barlow was plugged into the starting lineup and finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and a block across his 34 minutes played, bringing a spark of energy and high-level effort throughout. Quentin Grimes struggled in the first half but was a necessary part of the closing lineup and had some nice late-game flashes. His 10 points, five assists, and five rebounds performance won’t crack his career bests, but he hit a pair of big three-pointers when the team needed them. Jabari Walker also provided some nice minutes at the big man spot, and it was Kelly Oubre Jr. who hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:16 remaining in the fourth quarter. It was a complete team win over a legitimate opponent.
But above all, the level of play from Edgecombe is the biggest story of the season opener. The 20-year-old carried himself beyond his years and looks ready for a real role right now. You cannot ask for a better start to his NBA career, and the backcourt duo of Maxey and Edgecombe is going to play their way into the conversations of best backcourt duos at a rapid rate. Hopefully, this is the start of a legitimate Rookie of the Year campaign and for Edgecombe to cement his place as the foundational piece of the future that he flashed to be.
Sean Barnard has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and general Philly Sports for over six years in a variety of roles and for multiple outlets. Currently works as a Content Writer for DraftKings Network, Sixers/NBA Insider for Philadelphia's Fox Sports the Gambler, and co-host of Sixers & Phillies Digest on Youtube. Forever Trusting the Process.