76ers fanbase divided on VJ Edgecombe draft selection

The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off of a disastrous, injury-riddled season. While they didn't win the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, they did end up with the No. 3 overall pick. With that, it gave the 76ers with a chance to add a top prospect to pair alongside Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey.

While Ace Bailey was considered the third-best prospect in the draft, it wasn't a given that the 76ers would take him, considering he didn't work out for any team in the pre-draft process. With the team sticking and picking at No. 3, fans wondered if they would ultimately decide to take Bailey.

On Wednesday night, the 76ers passed on Bailey and instead drafted Baylor's V.J. Edgecombe with the third overall pick. Edgecombe is a true athletic freak and has incredibly high upside.

But, 76ers fans were split on the pick, wondering if Edgecombe was the right selection.

FanSided's NBA Draft Central has you covered from every angle with the latest mock drafts, rankings, detailed notes on every top prospect and more.

76ers fans split on V.J. Edgecombe draft pick

Some 76ers fans were sold on the selection of Edgecombe and could be a legitimate contributor to the team.

Some fans were split on the decision, feeling that passing on Bailey was the wrong move to make.

Only time will tell whether or not the 76ers made the right move. But it's not as though Edgecombe was a reach. He was a projected Top 10 prospect, after all.

Edgecombe played one season for the Baylor Bears, and he made a statement. In 33 games played, the guard averaged 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while averaging 43.6 percent from the field and 34.0 percent from the three-point line. Edgecombe won the 2024-25 Big 12 Rookie of the Year Award, while being named to the All Big-12 team and the Big 12's All-Freshman team.

FanSided NBA Draft expert Christopher Kline lauded Edgecombe's athleticism and sees him as a future All-Defense team member in the NBA.

"VJ Edgecombe is a one-percent athlete. Ideally he’d be a bit taller, but Edgecombe has the strength and twitch to guard much bigger than his listed height," writes Kline. "He’s a singularly disruptive force on defense, with the motor to one day crack an All-Defense team. He’s still coming along as a ball-handler and playmaker, but Edgecombe’s spot-up shooting and elite first step give him a solid baseline for scoring. He also reads the floor well and functions as a strong connective piece."

The 76ers are looking to make it back into the postseason, and they have the chance to do so, as the Eastern Conference is pretty wide open. We'll see how Edgecombe fits ad and performs in Philadelphia.