CAMDEN, N.J. -- As the Philadelphia 76ers head into the 2026-27 season, the focus will be placed upon the likes of LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and the team's other stars, but second-year guard VJ Edgecombe will likely play a big role for whatever this team wants to do in the upcoming season.
Edgecombe is coming off an impressive rookie season in which he averaged 16.0 points and did some terrific things on both ends of the floor. The No. 3 pick of the 2025 NBA draft made playoff history in Game 2 against the Boston Celtics when he had 30 points and 10 rebounds in the win. He was the first rookie to record 30 and 10 in a playoff game since Tim Duncan in 1998.
As the Sixers got going in training camp on Tuesday, Edgecombe drew some high praise from
new addition Anfernee Simons.
"I said before, VJ’s super talented," Simons said. "Obviously, his athleticism speaks for itself. His ability to get downhill speaks for itself. We’re just gonna continue to push him. Obviously, he’s going to be in a lot of opportunities to go out there and might have to guard the best player. Just continue to push him that way to be special. Obviously, VJ’s gonna continue to have to go out there and be himself, and we’re gonna expect him to be VJ."
While Simons gets to learn his new teammates after playing against them for so long, the young Edgecombe was able to show what he can do on a good first day of practice with this new group.
"It was great," Edgecombe smiled. "I'm going to be honest. The intensity was high. I was excited about how practice ended today. From start to finish, the intensity never dropped. Everything, attention to details on what the coaches got for us. We're just trying to incorporate it, add it to the flow of the game, make sure we build that standard, but overall, it was great. I think it was a great first day for sure."
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Anfernee Simons gives first impression of Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe
