Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe has truly carved out a place for himself in the team’s core, positioning himself as a vital asset in the rotation. While his performance as a rookie has been impressive, with Philadelphia emerging as a playoff team, Edgecombe revealed what helped the team become so competitive.
On a recent episode of the “Club 520” podcast, VJ Edgecombe was asked about the 76ers’ practices and, given the roster depth, how intense they had to be to yield positive results.
Wells: “We were talking about the depth of that team early on… no matter who is in the lineup, no matter who is in the game, y’all all get to it. You [VJ] come out killin’, Tyrese Maxey takes his game to the next level. Y’all got a squad, man. I know that practice must be different.”
Edgecombe: “Yeah. I ain’t gonna lie. N****s was about to throw hands in there, in practice. I think that helped us a lot, though.”
The 76ers’ environment may appear contentious, but the results can’t be argued with.
When considering VJ Edgecombe’s development and the team’s current position at sixth place in the East with a 30-24 record, Philadelphia has looked impressive. When also factoring in Tyrese Maxey‘s performance and the resurgence of Joel Embiid, the 76ers could be a team to keep an eye on coming out of the All-Star break.
VJ Edgecombe On Facing Tyrese Maxey 1-On-1
The intense nature of the 76ers’ practice naturally lends itself to heated exchanges between players. The famous incident involving Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe this season may have been a product of the same, though even Edgecombe admitted that such events were largely positive.
Still, the competitive relationship between Edgecombe and Maxey has undoubtedly pushed both players to improve significantly, as the rookie recalled his experience of facing the 76ers superstar 1-on-1 during practice.
“I’m going to be honest. That’s the first time I really lost ones, for real,” Edgecombe stated. “That n***a can hoop, ain’t gonna lie. I didn’t even know he was that fast, bro. And he can shoot. All tough, man.”
Maxey has taken huge strides in development this season. With averages of 28.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game this season, the 76ers superstar rightfully earned himself a spot as an All-Star starter and asserted himself as the new face of the franchise.
Meanwhile, VJ Edgecombe has also benefited from this dynamic, already becoming a driving force behind Philadelphia’s success. While averaging 14.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, the rookie has positioned himself as a contender for the ROTY award.
Although the current ROTY race sees him pitted against the likes of Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, Edgecombe doesn’t pale in comparison. As a promising young prospect, the 76ers could greatly benefit from cultivating his talent and grooming him as the future franchise player alongside Maxey.
