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It’s hard to hear after a division rival took over their building and swept them out of the playoffs, but the 2025-26 season was a pretty high-end outcome for the Sixers. They beat the Boston Celtics in a playoff series, Joel Embiid has felt as good as he has about his left knee since January 2024, but most importantly, they had a 20-year old rookie sensation.
VJ Edgecombe officially ends his rookie season having averaged 16 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game shooting 43% from the field and 35% from the field. He averaged 14 points per game in his first 11 playoff games.
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For all these reasons, the Sixers themselves felt pretty good about their season after their Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks. During his exit interview, Embiid was talking about the example he tries to set for the younger players, and went on a long tangent about Edgecombe’s potential while doing so.
“VJ is up next. Philly got a good one in him,” Embiid said. “He’s the guy. I’m telling you guys, that guy is something different and this was only year one. Year two is gonna be better, year three even better.”
Embiid would go on to call him a “monster” later in his presser.
Every Sixer asked about Edgecombe is confident in his improvement year-over-year. It’s all the intangibles he flashed all season that impressed his teammates so much — and why they so often say he is not the average rookie.
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“Usually, guys improve quite a bit from year one to year two,” head coach Nick Nurse said. “I would imagine with his work ethic and stuff, he’ll have a good summer.”
Edgecombe responded to Embiid’s comments the exact way anyone who’s been around him so far would expect him to.
“It’s great, but the work has to be put in, I have to continue putting in the work,” he said. “I really love my teammates and I really love all the good things they say about me, but yes, I gotta keep putting in the work, keep getting better.”
A young guard with a crazy work ethic drafted after a disastrous season is a familiar story with this team. Tyrese Maxey recognized those similarities as he sat next…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/hours-vj-edgecombe-rookie-season-011316347.html
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Publish date : 2026-05-11 01:13:00
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