A Path to Victory
The 76ers took the safe route and it could eventually end up being the best selection with the choice of Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe.
Selecting third, there was a question whether the Sixers would draft Rutgers forward Ace Bailey, who many rated as the third best player, but who canceled a workout with the Sixers and didn’t work out with any other team.
Bailey was eventually selected fifth overall by the Utah Jazz.
While Edgecombe doesn’t have the offensive arsenal of Bailey, he might have a stronger all-around game. Edgecombe, even by NBA standards, is considered an elite NBA athlete. (So is Bailey BTW).
Edgecombe is a player who can step in the NBA today and be a solid to elite defensive player.
He was measured at 6’4 barefoot at the NBA combine and 193 pounds and was also measured with a 6’7.5 wingspan.
One might suggest the Sixers have plenty of wing players, but in drafting a team should go for the best talent and work everything out from there.
In addition, by all accounts, Edgecombe has an outstanding attitude.
Edgecombe, who turns 20 on July 30, has played well against some high-level competition. In the summer of 2024 Edgecombe was competing for the Bahamian Olympic team, which lost to Spain in an Olympic qualifying final.
In four qualifying games, Edgecombe averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists, while hitting 5 of 13 three-pointers (.385). Keep in mind this was a team that also included NBA players Deandre Ayton, Buddy Hield and Eric Gordon. In the final 86-76 loss to Spain, he had 12 points, six rebounds and five assists.
He didn’t look out of place the entire time, playing then against NBA players.
Then this past season he played for Baylor, playing in the Big 12.
He averaged 15 points and 5.6 rebounds in 32.8 minutes. Edgecombe shot .340 from three-point range, but there are many top college players who improve their shooting when they get to the NBA. Sixers one-time all-star Tyrese Maxey is a clear example of a player who became a better long-range shooter after he reached the NBA.
Edgecombe’s final game was an 89-66 loss to Duke in the NCAA tournament. Edgecombe had 16 points and six rebounds against a Duke team that ended up having three players drafted among the first 10 picks and five players selected overall.
He shot 6-of-12 from the field, but that included 1-of-5 from three-point range.
One thing that won’t be questioned is his work ethic.
He might not be a high scorer, at least in the beginning, but it doesn’t seem like it will take long for Edgecombe to become a lock-down defender.
Even as a rookie on a veteran Sixers team, he should have an impact whether he is a starter or coming off the bench. It looks like a strong pick.
In the second round with the 35th overall pick, the Sixers selected well-decorated forward-center Johni Broome, who led Auburn to the Final Four this season. Broome, who turns 23 on July 19, measured 6’9.25 at the NBA combine with a 7’0.25” wingspan.
This past season at Auburn he was a consensus All-American, averaging 18.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 blocked shots.
Despite the strong season he wasn’t selected in the first round. Broome shot just .278 from three-point range, and that will be the question in the NBA, where even centers are expected to be marksman. There is also a question on whether he can create his own shot, but there is no worry about his toughness and his motor. Depending on other moves the Sixers make, he could have a chance to be a rotation player.
On paper, it appears as if the Sixers made two strong picks and fans will get their first look at the two rookies representing the Sixers when they open Summer League play on July 5 against the host Utah Jazz in the Salt Lake City Summer League. The Sixers will then compete in the Las Vegas Summer League, beginning on July 10.
Photo: John’s Brooke (left) and VJ Edgecombe (right) / Courtesy of 76ers' Twitter
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Author: Marc Narducci
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