CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night in a matchup of two of the top 5 picks from the 2025 NBA draft. The Sixers selected VJ Edgecombe with the No. 3 pick while the Hornets took Kon Knueppel with the No. 4 pick.
Both are coming off pretty solid debuts as Edgecombe dropped 34 points in a road win over the Boston Celtics while Knueppel had 11 points and shot 3-for-4 from deep as the Hornets knocked off the Brooklyn Nets. Obviously, Edgecombe’s performance was much more impressive in the grand scheme of things, but Knueppel played an important role for the Hornets in their win.
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As the two now face off, Edgecombe discussed whether he puts more emphasis on this contest because of his draft mate who was selected one pick behind him. It would make sense if he does due to how competitive these guys are, but Edgecombe is focused more on the game itself.
“Every game is the same, man,” Edgecombe stated. “I’m not trying to compare myself, man. Comparison is the thief of joy, man. So, I’m trying to be happy on the floor. I’m trying to have fun. I’m not worried about a certain player on the floor. They’re a team full of good players, and my main goal is just going to win, to be honest. That’s the main thing for me. I don’t compare myself to no other draft picks or anything like that.”
Spoken like a veteran already as a rookie. Of course, Edgecombe himself is a competitive player. Those videos in the offseason of him talking trash to the likes of 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and in other pickup games show it so one has to believe he has some juice against Knueppel. Even if he won’t admit it.
With that being said, all eyes will be on Edgecombe as he looks to give an encore from his historic performance in Boston. The Hornets will be looking to find a way to slow him down in a way the Celtics were unable to, but Edgecombe is looking to just get better every day.
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“For me, it’s just building blocks,” he explained. “Just trying to take steps in the right direction, learn from film—I was just watching film just now. Just learning, knowing team tendencies, know what they do. It’s just a steady progression. That’s all it is, man. A steady progression. I played one NBA game, man. That don’t determine who I am as a player, you know? So just continue to get better.”
The Sixers and Hornets will tip off at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers’ VJ Edgecombe discusses matchup with Kon Knueppel, Hornets