VJ Edgecombe has come out on fire for the Philadelphia 76ers this season. The rookie managed to quickly exceed already high expectations and quickly entrench himself as a foundational piece for the franchise, moving forward with his sensational performances that night in and out.
At this rate, Edgecombe will be the unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year. He’s been so good and there’s not much reason to think he can’t maintain his current level of play. His scoring was every bit as good as advertised, but it’s the little things that have made him such an encouraging core piece for the 76ers.
However, many people have probably already gathered that there were numerous individuals – some even from Edgecombe’s camp – who believed that his pairing with the 76ers would be inconvenient. That came from the perception that Edgecombe won’t get many reps with this group.
Well, they were wrong.
VJ Edgecombe and the 76ers quickly calmed their doubters
The 76ers essentially chose between Edgecombe and Ace Bailey before the draft, and while they ultimately focused on the former, there were indeed concerns about his fit with the team, as the backcourt was not necessarily lacking and his ball-dominant style could be better off elsewhere.
However, it turns out that Edgecombe has already been so good that it warrants more reps on the ball than expected. In fact, the 76ers have recognized that fact and the coaching staff has given him complete freedom to create for himself and for others as well. The result? His scoring was a blitzkrieg, and his play has improved by leaps and bounds.
Edgecombe seems destined to be a star in this league, and being part of the 76ers, which has become conducive to his rapid growth as a player by giving him the optimal opportunity to be himself, learn from his mistakes and then dominate, also works in his favor.
Rookies rarely have such a drastic change in the dynamics of their new ball clubs, and yet Edgecombe has managed to do just that. This approach is likely here to stay, and it’s certainly nice to see Edgecombe prove his naysayers wrong from the start.
While there were good reasons for those fears, they ultimately proved unfounded, and all the credit goes to Edgecombe. Although it is Philadelphia that gave him his freedom on the hardwood, he is still the one who met all expectations and then some.
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