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Sixers veteran gives thoughts on VJ Edgecombe's impressive rookie year
TL;DR
VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick, has made a strong impact in his rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. Veteran Andre Drummond praised Edgecombe's confidence and ability to perform alongside established stars.
PHILADELPHIA -- On the one hand, VJ Edgecombe was supposed to put up good numbers and make an impact right away. He was the No. 3 overall pick, after all. A player picked that high comes with expectations.
However, when Edgecombe joined a veteran-laden team like the Philadelphia 76ers who are focused on winning a title, his numbers and overall play are impressive.
Edgecombe averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 43.8% from the floor and 35.4% from deep. His ability to play next to the likes of Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Joel Embiid was incredibly impressive and he even carried the offense when all three were off the floor due to their ailments.
"It's amazing what VJ has done this past season," said 14-year veteran Andre Drummond. "He plays with a confidence that—I don't know. Maybe it's just the generation of kids that are coming up now, because I can sit up for all the guys in the draft. They just have this confidence and swag that they play with. I know when I came in earlier in my career, I was timid. I was trying to figure out how to fit in and how to make it work."
Edgecombe was anything but timid. He scored 34 points in his debut back in October on the road in Boston as the Sixers knocked off the Celtics. He has a different kind of confidence about him that a 20-year-old just should not have. He stepped into a situation in Philadelphia and immediately made his presence known on the floor.
"With these guys now, it's like, 'it's my show'," added Drummond. "Like, I'm here to take over, and it's pretty dope to see what VJ has done this year, and the games he’s won for us and just his confidence, man. I got to speak on the confidence. It's insane, and I love that for him."
Even if Edgecombe has a tough night, he always seems to make winning plays. He has his eyes on winning and that's all that matters to him. As a young player, that is always impressive when considering he could absolutely just focus on his own numbers and establish himself in the league before anything else.
This started way back in September when the Sixers began prepping for the 2025-26 season. The rookie walked into the gym and let everybody know that he's going to be a problem that will be tough for everybody to solve.
"First practice day, he walked in," Drummond said succinctly. "He walked in like, 'I'm here'. So we need that. We need that, especially now too, with one of our main primary scorers missing."
Heading into his first postseason, beginning with a play-in game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, all eyes will be on Edgecombe as he gets set to face another challenge in the league.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers veteran gives thoughts on VJ Edgecombe's impressive rookie year
Q&A
What were VJ Edgecombe's rookie season statistics with the Philadelphia 76ers?
VJ Edgecombe averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists during his rookie season.
How did VJ Edgecombe perform alongside veteran players like Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid?
Edgecombe showed impressive performance by effectively carrying the offense when Maxey, Embiid, and Paul George were unavailable due to injuries.
What did Andre Drummond say about VJ Edgecombe's confidence as a rookie?
Andre Drummond remarked that Edgecombe plays with a unique confidence and swag that is characteristic of the newer generation of players, contrasting with his own timid start in the league.
