If VJ Edgecombe's opening night performance is an indicator of things to come, then Paul George can probably turn to podcasting full-time.
On any other night, Tyrese Maxey's 40 point explosion would be the headline in a comeback win against a playoff-worthy division rival (yes, playoff-worthy, even without Jayson Tatum on the floor). But Philadelphia's season opener was instead commanded by the highest-scoring rookie debut since Wilt Chamberlain (43) in 1959. And for good measure, Edgecombe's 34 points also broke the team debut record set by Allen Iverson (30).
Together, Edgecombe and Maxey combined for over 60 percent of the Sixers' 117 points, all on a night where even under a minutes restriction returning from a very truncated 2024-25 campaign, Joel Embiid, Philadelphia's biggest star, was disturbingly dull (11 percent from the field, 0-of-4 on 3s, 6 rebounds, minus-16).
Of course, all the hubbub surrounding Edgecombe's debut might just be noise. Remember the false promises from stories like Brandon Jennings' double nickel game, or more specifically from Sixers history, Michael Carter-Williams' entire ROY campaign. But these Sixers are not the same as they were in 2013-14, and this rookie class is not the one from that season either. For reference, back then, Giannis was not the Giannis he would become, and the fourth-place finisher in the Rookie of the Year race was Mason Plumlee. Between Philadelphia's championship hopes and a class headlined by multiple future stars, Edgecombe's performance simply stands out.
Is VJ Edgecome for real?
Among the most encouraging things to notice on Edgecombe's tape from the night were every seemingly successful translation of every single strength he was scouted on being successfully translated against a legitimately dangerous opponent. The trademark athleticism and energy were both there, as was the confidence as a spot-up shooter. But arguably even more impressive were Edgecombe's patience on the fast break and two moments where he looked confident creating his own shot, both considered weaknesses of his.
Moreover, looking at the box score, Philadelphia has clearly handed Edgecombe the reins incredibly early. It should be telling that he not only started, but also led the Sixers in minutes (42), whereas most of his closest competition in the ROY race were given less time in situations where they could (and should) have been given more exposure. Cooper Flagg (31), Dylan Harper (22), and Ace Bailey (20) all should have racked up much more sizable garbage time minutes, and yet here Edgecombe was, trusted from wire to wire for a Sixers team hunting for a deep playoff run.
That is significant.
What is also significant is the pre-season runaway ROY favorite kind of laying an egg on opening night. Cooper Flagg was handed a near-impossible situation in Dallas' season opener against the Spurs as the Mavericks' starting point guard, but let's not forget that the hype around the Mavs was so high that they actually slotted in above San Antonio in the NBA's own preseason power rankings. For Flagg specifically, he came into the season with the highest odds to win Rookie of the Year (-225) since before the Obama administration. It's not fair, but the receipts are there, and a 10 point, 10 rebound debut is more than disappointing when you're comparing Flagg and Edgecombe. Oh, and if you're interested, Edgecombe opened the season with 10-1 odds to win the ROY race.
Am I being hyperbolic and overreacting to a single night? Likely.
Will such performances happen every night? Obviously not.
Will there be lows to come for Edgecombe? Most certainly.
But head coach Nick Nurse has a championship under his belt, and has definitely given the rookie the green light for good reason. He was the guy who oversaw both of the Most Improved Player campaigns of Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Maxey. Don't be surprised if he's truly onto something special in what could already be the best backcourt in the Eastern Conference.