PHILADELPHIA -- LeBron James has had an obvious influence on the Philadelphia 76ers. The future Hall of Famer has shown off the constant work and the championship habits he has garnered throughout his 24 years in the league and has been a good example for the younger Sixers.
For second-year guard VJ Edgecombe, this is all still so new to him. The No. 3 pick of the 2025 draft has made an impact in the league, but playing next to James and seeing how he handles everything on a daily basis is a brand new experience for him and he's learning each and every day from the future Hall of Famer. It's still, obviously, early days, but Edgecombe is
"It’s still early in the season," said Edgecombe. "What’d you say like we played, what? Three games together,
I think? But nah, overall, he’s been great. Great leader. Like I say, he’s very vocal. Obviously, that’s what helps us a lot. It’s kind of what I expected. He’s been in the league for a long time, and I say he’s been great."
Obviously, with James around along with Jaylen Brown to join Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, it means Edgecombe's role is much different. The young guard has gone from averaging 16 and 4.2 assists in his rookie season to 11.3 and 2.8 assists, but he is averaging 7.8 rebounds as he has found a way to impact the Sixers despite the presence of some new stars.
"Obviously, I’m not playing with the rock in my hands as much as I did last year," Edgecombe stated. "But like I said, it’s all a learning experience for me. We’re five games in, you know? I ain’t gonna be perfect. I ain’t gonna be near perfect. But I just want to make sure I impact the game. I want to impact the game as much as I can, because obviously if I don’t have the ball, I’ve got to be able to do something else on the floor. I say whatever it requires for us to win, whatever it takes for us to win, I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna try to make sure I do it."
Edgecombe has also been terrific defensively. So, while the offensive numbers have gone down a bit, and will likely stay down, his work on the defensive end has been phenomenal as he makes strides in that area of the game.
"I think off-ball," Edgecombe said of his defensive work. "That’s something I’ve been priding myself on just getting better. Just want to make sure I’m better at playing off the ball. Yeah, I think that’s what it is. I just want to make sure I don’t get lost on defense, make sure I’m attached to my man as much as possible. Most nights I’m guarding the best player, and I just want to make sure that I stay locked in on that, just try to make it difficult for them."
The Sixers will continue to thrive and grow as the young guard takes another step forward.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: VJ Edgecombe talks playing next to LeBron James, adjustments for 76ers
