When it comes to VJ Edgecombe, the Philadelphia 76ers rookie is as good as they come.
One of the best young players in the NBA who still can't legally take the bar, Edgecombe has quickly established himself as a long-term starter for the 76ers, to the extent that Daryl Morey was willing to trade another young guard, Jared McCain, to guarantee maximum runway for the No. 3 overall pick.
So naturally, when Edgecombe gets a chance to showcase his fast-growing game on national television, especially against a future face of the league like Victor Wembanyama, he'll have extra motivation to show up and show it on the court, right?
Eh, not so much, as before the game, Edgecombe had a simple answer for reporter Ashlyn Sullivan when asked if he was excited to face off against "The Alien."
"Eh, not really,” Edgecombe announced.
"Eh...not really." ???
This was VJ Edgecombe's reaction when I asked if he was excited to go up against Victor Wembanyama. The rookie told me he only gets excited about winning basketball. More on Edgecombe and why he FaceTimed a fan on Sunday. @NBCPhilly pic.twitter.com/mnsSVXFTyn
- Ashlyn Sullivan (@ashlynrsullivan) 4 March 2026
A true success story of perseverance, Edgecombe came from a home in the Bahamas that used a generator to produce electricity to being a consensus five-star recruit who played his college ball at Baylor, and ultimately being the third-overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, where he was selected by Morey over other options like Kon Knueppel and Ace Bailey.
Widely known as more of an athlete than a finished product coming into the NBA, Edgecombe looks quite polished as he prepares for his first trip to the NBA postseason, averaging 15.5 points, 3.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds a night, while playing really good defense and hitting 36.3 percent of his 5.8 3-pointers per game. If Edgecombe keeps this up, he will not only finish his rookie season with a spot on the All-Rookie team, but will also look forward to facing a star player like Wembley in the future.
