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Though the sample size may be small, the Philadelphia 76ers look like they got a good one in VJ Edgecombe, the two-way guard they drafted third overall out of Baylor.
Entering the NBA with A+ athleticism and a sky-high ceiling, Edgecombe has flashed real star potential in his first – and to this point only – Summer League appearance, scoring 28 points plus 10 boards while looking tailor-made for professional spacing following a one-and-done run in Waco.
One person who was thoroughly impressed by Edgecombe's performance in Utah? Well, that would be his head coach, Nick Nurse.
Stopping by a special live episode of The Hoop Collective podcast at Las Vegas Summer League, Nurse celebrated what he's seen from Edgecombe so far, noting that his athleticism, offense, and especially his defense should allow him to make an impact early on.
“Just a lot of everything. First of all, incredible athlete,” Nurse explained via Bleacher Report. “Does things defensively. Like, he's good defensively, but he makes plays, shot-blocker, you don't see that a lot from the wing position. Tries really hard on D. Explosive. Looked like he's got some shimmy to get his own shot off. He's a full-court player, getting up and down in transition. And then he's an incredible person, he's really all about working really hard. Super respectful, and he's just great to be around.”
Standing 6-foot-5 with shoes on, Edgecombe isn't exactly big for an NBA wing, even as (Thunder) players like Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, and Jalen Williams help to redefine the position heading into the future. With that being said, Edgecombe has long arms, incredible hops, and a seeming sixth sense for contesting shots in the air. Factor in his slashing ability and Edgecombe might be the rare 20-year-old rookie who can play real minutes on a team with deep playoffs aspirations, as his defense right now is NBA caliber, with enough offense to be a weapon on both ends of the court for the 76ers around Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and his new fast friends, Jared McCain.
