The Philadelphia 76ers found themselves a gem in rookie VJ Edgecombe with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft. The Sixers suffered through a miserable 2024-25 season as injuries took a toll on the roster and decimated everything they wanted to do.
They ended up getting a little lottery luck and were able to grab Edgecombe. Joining a team that very much still believes it is a contender with a healthy group, the rookie has stepped into a team full of veterans and is averaging 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting 36.4% from deep and starting all 54 games he has played. That type of production from a rookie on a veteran team is hard to do.
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Bleacher Report ranked the top 99 players in the NBA right now and Edgecombe comes in ranked No. 91:
The value add he’s providing on offense is well-documented. He plays off Tyrese Maxey well and knows how to adjust his pace to particular lineups, such as those that feature Joel Embiid versus those that do not. His shot-making efficiency isn’t eye-popping, but he’s making an encouraging share of his above-the-break threes, and only Stephen Curry has drilled more triples in crunch time.
Edgecombe deserves more praise for his defensive toughness. Not many rookies can cover stars ranging from Jalen Brunson to Donovan Mitchell and mostly hold their own. He does, and in doing so, he’s given the Philadelphia 76ers not just their 2-guard of the future, but also their present.
The Sixers will need Edgecombe to continue improving and continue to skyrocket as they get closer and closer to when the games matter most in April and May.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe ranked No. 91 on list of best NBA players