Philadelphia 76ers fans thought VJ Edgecombe was treating them to a taste of the future after he totaled 26 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. Few realized, however, that the preview he offered was a glimpse of the season ahead – and not just the long term.
Nick Nurse said Friday he plans to start Edgecombe heading into the regular season. Edgecombe showed compelling flashes of his two-way skills in the preseason, giving the 76ers a needed boost of athleticism and youth. Philadelphia’s newly acquired up-tempo playing style needs players of Edgecombe’s caliber to be effective.
Edgecombe was impressed
Edgecombe made quite an impression in three preseason games played, scoring 16.7 points per game and shooting 42.5% from the field. While his efficiency needs improvement, he also averaged 4.7 rebounds per game, 3.7 assists per game and two steals per game.
When the 76ers selected Edgecombe third overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, they viewed him as someone who could provide athleticism and defensive play. Although his repertoire is unpolished, he showed exactly that. Edgecombe continually climbed to the rim in an attempt to posterize his defender, especially off the fastbreak. His knack for forcing turnovers and blocking lanes through one-on-one defense also gave Philadelphia plenty of transition opportunities.
During his pre-draft process, many identified self-creation as one of Edgecombe’s weaknesses, but he showed compelling glimpses of improvement. His speed and burst helped him evade defenders on his way to the rim, but at times it was to his detriment. The guard needs to be able to dictate his pace better instead of letting the defense rush him, which leads to inefficient shots. Either way, he showed flashes of quality on the ball and things are looking up.
Without the ball, however, Edgecombe was just as impressive. Nurse maximized Edgecombe in the half court by designing plays that allowed him to cut back, giving him many easy opportunities at the rim. He also provided high-quality connecting passes that kept Philadelphia’s offensive flow going.
Come on
The 76ers plan to make their offense more up-tempo and fluid. To make this happen, Philadelphia needs players who can wreak defensive havoc and excel in the open floor, aspects of Edgecombe’s game that are already prevalent.
Still, he needs to make progress in his outdoor pursuits to maximize his potential, not just for this season, but for the long-term future. Edgecombe shot 25% from downtown on 5.3 attempts per game in preseason. He’ll have to be more efficient, but the fact he shot at such a high volume is a testament to his confidence.
Edgecombe made one appearance alongside Joel Embiid and Quentin Grimes in these exhibitions while Paul George did not participate. While Philadelphia doesn’t have a true floor general, it has a plethora of advantage creators who will generate Edgecombe-quality spot-ups. He seemingly secured a starting spot to start the season, but to stay there he must continue to give the 76ers a two-way boost while ironing out his weaknesses.
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