Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe has been one of the bright spots of the team’s 2025-26 season. Having established himself as a core member of the rotation already, it is evident that head coach Nick Nurse and the franchise have big expectations for him.
On Monday night, however, VJ Edgecombe had a relatively rocky performance during the team’s 110-108 win against the Los Angeles Clippers. While speaking with the media after the game, Nurse addressed his play, but still displayed immense faith in the young guard.
“I had a real up and down, emotional night with him,” Nurse said. “I thought he was out on a lot of plays. At halftime, I thought he was being unassertive. He had the lanes to drive, and he wasn’t taking them. When he did, he took them slowly.”
“But he made some huge plays down the stretch. Ran down on a long rebound, hit a big three, played some great D. Like, he made some plays that I’m not sure anybody else we got can make. That’s huge for him to hang in there, take a little stern coaching, keep on playing, and make some plays at the end.”
In the first half, VJ Edgecombe attempted seven shots, connecting on three of them. Heading into the third quarter, the rookie seemed much more hesitant.
Although this was detrimental to the team’s efforts, Edgecombe came up big in the fourth quarter, knocking down timely shots, displaying a unique maturity and poise for a player his age. With 14 points, six rebounds, and six assists on the night, the 76ers’ rookie managed to hold his own.
An impressive performance by Philadelphia’s backcourt core, led by Tyrese Maxey‘s 39-point outburst, helped the 76ers secure a crucial win on the night of Paul George’s long-awaited return. With another win in the books, Philadelphia continues to impress, improving to 8-5 on the season.
Is VJ Edgecombe Leading The ROTY Race?
The Philadelphia 76ers selected VJ Edgecombe in this year’s NBA Draft with the No. 3 overall pick. While it was already expected that he would be an immensely talented player, Edgecombe has certainly exceeded expectations in delivering results early in his professional career.
While several had projected the 76ers to be a weak team this season, primarily due to the inconsistent availability of Joel Embiid and Paul George, the young pair of Edgecombe and Maxey have been dominant to start the season.
After 12 appearances, the 20-year-old is averaging 15.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on 40.8% shooting from the field. While combining athletic prowess with an assertive mindset on offense, Edgecombe positions himself as a worthy piece to build around.
At the current juncture, however, Edgecombe may not necessarily be considered the leader in the ROTY race, though he is among the favorites to win it nonetheless. With the likes of Kon Knueppel and Cedric Coward also generating buzz, the race for the award seems to be heating up.
