VJ Edgecombe's 25 points and clutch 3-pointer in OT helped the 76ers edge the Grizzlies on Tuesday night.
The problem with the Philadelphia 76ers’ “Big Three” seems to have more to do with designation than production.
Broaden that silly label out to a “Big Four,” and the Sixers’ world quickly begins to make more sense.
For raw star power, lofty career achievements and staggering salaries committed, sure, Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey are the three players around whom the roster is built. They’re the lightning rods for most credit, criticism and expectations, too.
And things hadn’t been going well. That trio just 0-4 through Philadelphia’s first 30 games before Tuesday due to injuries and a resulting shortage of synchronicity.
Now factor in rookie guard VJ Edgecombe and the hunger, youthful energy and two-way hustle he brings. The 6-foot-4 native of the Bahamas played last season at Baylor before landing in Philadelphia as the No. 3 pick in June. After his performance in the 139-136 overtime victory at Memphis on Tuesday, he ranks at least that high as a Sixers’ fan favorite.
Edgecombe scored 25 points, with 13 in the fourth quarter and the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in overtime to help the aforementioned “Big Three” finally win together this season. His defensive diligence against several Grizzlies and knack for rising to the occasion provided a snapshot of his work and the No. 3 spot he occupies in the latest Kia Rookie Ladder.
“Surprise me?” Edgecombe said, when asked about the step up from 33 college games to this level. “Nah, I mean, I figured the intensity was going to be higher. The decision-making was going to be better. Guys were going to be bigger, stronger. I expected all of that, to be honest.”
He arrived seemingly NBA-ready, scoring 34 points with five 3-pointers in Philadelphia’s opening-game victory over rival Boston. Through the Sixers’ five October games, Edgecombe put up numbers that were more All-Star than All-Rookie: 21.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 5.4 apg and 43.8% on 3-pointers.
“I had that big first game, and some people expected me to score 34 every night after that,” Edgecombe told NBA.com after last weekend’s game in Chicago. “That’s unrealistic. I’m still trying to figure it out. I just want to do what it takes to win, whether that’s guarding the best [opposing] player every night or at times scoring. I just want to win.”
Edgecombe’s athletic ability was evident from the start, but coach Nick Nurse has seen layers of development in his game since then.
“First and foremost, [his athleticism] was one of the things that stood out when we picked him,” Nurse said. “As time went on, we certainly noticed that he had a good feel for the game. I think his shooting probably has been better than people thought when drafted. He worked hard at that over the summer.”
Aside from Edgecombe’s shooting touch, Nurse sees other aspects to Edgecombe’s game.
“The other thing that we’ve seen is that he’s a big playmaker,” Nurse said. “He’s made a lot of huge plays in a lot of different ways in close games down the stretch. You never know if you’re going to get those, but we’ve gotten ‘em pretty early and in some big games.
“And it’s not just scoring a big bucket – which he’ll do – but he’ll block a shot, he’ll rebound, he’ll go get a loose ball.”
Or score a big bucket, as he did on Tuesday. Edgecombe set a screen for Maxey, then slipped away from the two defenders he drew. The extra attention did get the ball out of Maxey’s hands, except it went to Edgedcombe, who then did the damage.
“They doubled him and I was wide-open,” he said afterward, “and I was shooting it regardless of how far I was.
“I know the moment is never too big for me.”
Nor is this rookie class, the best in recent years, too deep for Edgecombe to emerge as a top candidate for Kia Rookie of the Year.
“Yeah, it’s on my radar, but at the end of the day, I want to win,” he said. “I want us to go as far as we can.”
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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
