Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; VJ Edgecombe arrives before the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
With the third pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers selected VJ Edgecombe from Baylor University. During his single-season run in the Lone Star state, Edgecombe would average 15 points and 2.1 steals per game, managing to become known as quite the two-way threat on the court.
While his defensive production would stay close to what he averaged during his time in college, Edgecombe’s offensive output seemingly skyrocketed during the NBA Summer League, averaging 21.5 points and four assists per game across his two appearances.
Now that the Bahamian’s preparations for the upcoming season is the only thing left on his docket, he recently appeared on Podcast P with Paul George, talking about his ambitions for his rookie campaign in the league. It isn’t just the regular season where Edgecombe looks to soak it all in, as he looks to impress during the team’s training camp, feeling that, given the roster, if healthy, could go on to do it all.
“Training camp… I want to go and play hard, learn from everybody around… I’m blessed to be in this situation, just to be on a team that has a chance at actually winning the championship,” Edgecombe explained. “I feel like a healthy Sixers, we’re going to the chip.”
Edgecombe’s ambitions don’t just apply for the Sixers’ training camp, as he is looking to make an immediate impact during the regular season, aiming to not only stop at the Rookie of the Year award, but also a spot on one of the NBA’s All-Defensive teams.
“For the year, rookie of the year, definitely want to win rookie of the year, that’d be amazing…” Edgecombe stated. “I also want to be on an All-Defensive team, they think it’s gonna be hard for a rookie, but I don’t think it’s going to be hard for me.”
While it could be thought that Edgecombe landing a spot on an All-Defensive team could be tough to achieve, he was quick to state that within practicing with the Sixers, there lie great opportunities to display and hone his defensive skills.
“I’m going to be guarding the best players in practice, it’s going to prepare me, you know,” the Sixers rookie explained. “Tyrese [Maxey] is super fast, he can shoot the ball, then I have to switch onto PG [Paul George], maybe if we’re switching five, I’ve got to go guard Joel, but I feel like I’m going to be ready.”
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