Through their first four games, the Philadelphia 76ers have turned heads night in and out with their surprisingly fiery performances. After their latest comeback win over the Wizards, the team now has a clear 4-0 win-loss card and sits in second place in the entire association at this early point. While it’s far too early for this status to be a reflection of their entire outlook for the season, it’s nonetheless a positive sign of things to come.
Two of their opponents were cellar dwellers from last season and one was missing his best player due to a season-ending injury, but the 76ers did their job by beating the opponents they were. assumed beat. And what makes their record even more impressive is the fact that they did it without Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, and despite Joel Embiid being on a strict minutes restriction.
A key part of their early success this season has been the electric play from their backcourt led by All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey. But not far behind him is rookie VJ Edgecombe who, after a historic debut as a freshman, has maintained his level of play.
Edgecombe has quickly emerged as a foundational piece for the franchise with his standout, all-round performances. He has already gone above and beyond what the scouting report said about him before the draft, entrenching himself as the best rookie in his draft class to date.
The 76ers almost missed VJ Edgecombe because of Daryl Morey
But as people may have already forgotten, the 76ers actually almost completely missed Edgecombe. As soon as the team got lucky in this year’s draft lottery, there were already rumors about the front office exploring the possibility of cutting or eliminating the draft. Obviously that didn’t work out, but it was certainly in the cards.
For those who may have forgotten, the 76ers were essentially choosing between Edgecombe and Ace Bailey, while also considering other prospects like Tre Johnson and Khaman Maluach. And given the state of the team at the time, trading their third overall pick had some sensible reasons.
Fortunately, the 76ers stood their ground before and during the draft, showing extreme restraint and not getting too cute with their selection. The possibility for Bailey remained high when they were on the clock, but at that point it was almost a foregone conclusion that the front office would draft Edgecombe.
Considering how he’s looked so far, it’s safe to say the 76ers made the right call and avoided a pretty deadly mistake. VJ Edgecombe is the best rookie yet, and it’s hard to imagine that fact changing anytime soon.
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