Why Vj Edgecombe’s Hot Start To Rookie Season Is So Important For Joel Embiid, 76ers

Expectations for this year's 76ers were each complete nan representation entering nan 2025-26 NBA season.

In theory, a starring trio of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George is simply a three-headed monster that tin bent pinch almost anybody successful nan league. But arsenic Philadelphia recovered retired past year, nan wounded bug tin onslaught quickly and cruelly. All 3 stars, on pinch aggregate different cardinal members of nan roster, missed important clip past twelvemonth owed to injury; Embiid and George required room for their respective ailments. It resulted successful a 24-58 decorativeness and a lottery prime successful nan 2025 NBA draught that turned into VJ Edgecombe, a talented yet earthy imaginable who was universally viewed arsenic thing of a task player. With patience, nan devices were location to create into a morganatic NBA player. But it wouldn't hap overnight. Between that and nan wide uncertainty that Embiid and/or George would beryllium consistently available, it was anybody's conjecture arsenic to wherever nan Sixers mightiness onshore successful nan standings travel season's end.

Three games into nan caller year, though, it seems nan NBA world was incorrect astir Edgecombe. And that changes everything. Not conscionable for nan 76ers, but for Embiid, too.

Edgecombe has been perfectly scalding to statesman his NBA career. The 20-year-old defender retired of Baylor scored 34 points successful his NBA debut against nan Celtics, breaking a franchise grounds held by Allen Iverson (you whitethorn person heard of him). It was nan third-highest scoring debut successful convention history, slotting down only Wilt Chamberlain and Frank Selvy. To apical it off, he stuffed nan stat expanse pinch 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal. Not only did Edgecombe put up large numbers, he played a large domiciled successful helping Philadelphia shape a double-digit comeback and triumph connected nan road.

It was an unbelievable showing by nan young player. Even nan astir talented rookies request an accommodation play erstwhile entering nan NBA. It's nan champion hoops convention successful nan world. It's difficult to jump correct into nan heavy extremity and play well. Just look astatine Cooper Flagg, who was hyped arsenic nan top American imaginable since LeBron James and managed only 10 points connected 13 shots successful his first NBA game. Edgecombe wasn't expected to beryllium this benignant of subordinate correct retired of nan gate, and mostly speaking rookies are not expected to beryllium that bully disconnected nan bat. Yet he was.

It wasn't a fluke, either. Edgecombe followed that up pinch 15 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals to unafraid a constrictive triumph complete nan Hornets. Then he notched an businesslike 26 points connected 10-for-17 shooting to spell pinch 7 assists, 1 steal, and 1 artifact to hit nan Magic (who boasted 1 of nan league's champion defenses past season).

The 76ers do not triumph those games without Edgecombe. His accumulation mixed pinch Maxey's is historic; their 186 mixed points complete nan first 3 games of nan twelvemonth are the astir recorded by immoderate backcourt pairing since 1970. Between nan two, Philadelphia abruptly finds itself pinch a brace of lighting-fast, high-scoring guards who are some consenting and capable to play astir 40 minutes per crippled to unafraid wins.

Why it’s truthful important for Joel Embiid, 76ers

Edgecombe's breakout would beryllium important for immoderate organization. While he's apt to slow down astatine immoderate point, his basking commencement has made it clear that nan squad recovered a bully subordinate pinch nan No. 3 prime successful nan draught who will beryllium tied to them for nan adjacent 5 years and apt beyond. That's an incredibly valuable asset. But for these 76ers successful particular, and for their MVP-caliber talent successful Embiid, it intends moreover more.

Why? Because this era of Philadelphia hoops has consistently travel down to 1 thing: really patient is Embiid? The superstar halfway is an all-consuming unit connected nan tribunal erstwhile he's right, a two-way talent who tin predominate nan crippled connected some ends. But injuries person ever been a problem. Embiid missed his first 2 seasons wholly owed to a ft wounded and has consistently missed games since, ne'er hitting nan 70 games played mark. In nan past 2 years he has suited up for 58 games combined. Embiid is chiefly responsible for nan team's occurrence since he was drafted successful 2014 but he's besides been chiefly responsible for their struggles to contend because his readiness is perpetually successful question. More problematically, nan beforehand agency has ne'er managed to put together a bully capable roster astir him that they tin debar relying heavy connected him to triumph whenever he is available.

This full conception was why squad president Daryl Morey gave George a max statement successful 2024, moreover arsenic he was entering his precocious 30s. George was expected to thief support his squad afloat whenever Embiid couldn't go, and service arsenic a cleanable operation of complementary skills erstwhile nan halfway could subordinate him connected nan court. But George ran into aggregate wounded problems connected his ain during his first play successful Philadelphia and has yet to suit up this play arsenic he recovers from knee surgery. Whatever nan Sixers thought they were getting successful George, they person not gotten it, and it's now unwise to count connected his accumulation pinch wounded questions looming.

In ray of that, Embiid's betterment would beryllium 1 of nan large stories of this NBA play nether normal circumstances. Especially because Embiid has hardly played. The erstwhile MVP is connected a minutes regularisation to commencement nan twelvemonth arsenic he recovers from knee surgery, appearing successful only 2 games and getting benched erstwhile he deed nan 20-minute mark. How he's looked has been concerning, too; he went 1-for-9 from nan level to unfastened nan play successful Boston and seldom ventured into nan paint, a worrying show for nan 7-footer. Embiid's 2nd crippled against Charlotte went overmuch better, but he still didn't look for illustration his aged self.

Without Edgecombe's emergence, that would consequence successful siren bells ringing passim Philadelphia. In nan past fewer years, a hampered Embiid intends punishment for nan Sixers. But with Edgecombe's emergence, it's go a secondary talking point. Rightfully truthful fixed Edgecombe's accumulation has led to winning.

If this will beryllium nan communicative of nan 2025-26 season, past nan Sixers will beryllium successful a position they haven't knowledgeable pinch Embiid connected nan roster—they tin triumph games without him. They aren't automatic contenders now, but Edgecombe's accumulation intends coach Nick Nurse won't request to thrust Embiid for 30 minutes connected a random October nighttime to hit nan Hornets. Instead nan large prima tin slow activity his measurement backmost while Philly stays afloat successful nan convention standings. It takes a important load disconnected his wide shoulders successful a measurement that tin only beryllium beneficial, some successful nan short and agelong run. Maybe it doesn't make a difference. Maybe Embiid will beryllium astatine afloat powerfulness travel playoff clip and abruptly nan 76ers are a morganatic title contender. Nobody knows really it'll move retired correct now. But letting him return astatine his ain gait without losses piling up was a difficult task before. It's a batch easier going forward.

What's more, Edgecombe represents dream successful nan lawsuit of nan worst result for Embiid—that, astatine this constituent successful his career, nan injuries are excessively overmuch to overcome. That he will ne'er again beryllium an MVP campaigner aliases present superstar-level production. Even pinch Maxey successful nan fold arsenic nan adjacent prima up, specified a improvement would person group nan statement backmost years. The full roster is built astir Embiid and nan $188 cardinal hold he signed successful 2024 ensures he will enactment pinch nan 76ers for nan adjacent 3 years astatine least.

Now? Edgecombe is bringing elite accumulation astatine a rookie salary. If Embiid ne'er gets backmost to his aged self, location is dream successful nan shape of nan rookie from Baylor. He represents a realistic chance that nan Sixers tin still compete and play bully hoops contempt their very high-priced halfway lumbering up and down nan court, worn down by nan deterioration and tear of basketball. Even if nary of it comes to walk nan dream Edgecombe brings alters nan outlook of nan full franchise.

Sometimes each it takes is 1 changeable of luck to alteration everything. It's early, but it seems nan 76ers person recovered it by drafting Edgecombe. He's a budding prima successful Philadelphia and 1 who fundamentally alters what nan organization's early looks like, some this twelvemonth and beyond.

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