LeBron James sees elite defensive potential in ‘flat-out player’ VJ Edgecombe

LeBron James sees elite defensive potential in ‘flat-out player’ VJ Edgecombe originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

LeBron James isn’t underrating how valuable VJ Edgecombe can be for the new-look Sixers this season.

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On the latest episode of his Mind the Game podcast with Steve Nash, James detailed his confidence in the second-year guard after his All-Rookie First Team season in 2025-26.

“He’s a flat-out player, man,” James told Nash.

James noted that all the reports he’s heard out of the Sixers organization have been complimentary of Edgecombe. He specifically mentioned how Edgecombe is “beyond his years,” and was impressed by the fact that he often acted as a leader of the team as a rookie.

“They say he speaks with an intelligent, [natural] confidence and works extremely hard.”

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Given the number of ball dominant players on this Sixers team, reasonable questions regarding Edgecombe’s usage have come up. What will his role look like on a team with four players who finished top-50 league-wide in usage rate last season?

James rejected the premise that Edgecombe should have to wait his turn even with so much star power surrounding him. The most immediate area of impact he has in mind for Edgecombe?

The defensive side of the ball.

“There’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to, if he really wants to be, contending for an All-Defensive team this year with his athleticism, with his length, with his speed,” James said.

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“I think [Jaylen Brown] gonna set the tone with his ability to guard,” he added. “But I think VJ should be right there, just taking all the keys from JB, learning all the nuances, because he has all the tools.”

The No. 3 pick in the 2025 draft was a disruptive defender as a rookie. He was 17th in the NBA in steals per game (1.3) and 18th among guards in blocks per game (0.5).

He was also 43rd league-wide in transition points per game (4.3), an element of the game where the Sixers should thrive in 2026-27.

In fact, Tyrese Maxey (7.2), James (7.1) and Brown (6.7) were second, third and fourth in the NBA in transition points per game last year. James sees Edgecombe and Maxey…

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Publish date : 2026-09-26 07:00:00

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