The Philadelphia 76ers have experienced early success this season, largely thanks to the efforts of their rookie VJ Edgecombe. Despite some weaknesses in his game, the guard has blown away the expectations set for him coming into the season. He certainly looks like someone who can become a rising star for Philadelphia and lead the team alongside Tyrese Maxey. Here are three key reasons why Edgecombe has been showing out.
3 Key Reasons For VJ Edgecombe’s Success
1) Perfect Offensive Role
Unquestionably, one of the most important aspects of Edgecombe’s success early this season is the role he occupies. Playing in a more off-ball secondary role next to Maxey has done wonders for him. Specifically, he is in a role that fully maximizes his strengths while mitigating his weaknesses.
One of the bigger concerns of Edgecombe as a prospect is the fact that his on-ball creation abilities still need work. In college, he didn’t have the best ball-handling skills, and his pull-up shooting wasn’t anything impressive. By playing him next to a ball-dominant guard like Maxey, those weaknesses are minimized. Furthermore, he gets to leverage his impressive spot-up shooting, slashing, and cutting. Maxey has the passing ability to find Edgecombe when he is open. From there, the 20-year-old can be a dynamic threat who can both shoot threes or attack closeouts at a high level. Plus, he can fully utilize his speed and athleticism to get downhill with the threat of his shot. In his role, Edgecombe is placed in the perfect position to have a positive impact.
2) Improved Three-Point Shooting
Expanding on his shooting, one critical point is the improved shooting that Edgecombe has displayed. From the outset, he has been a lights-out shooter for the Sixers. In particular, he is hitting 42.1% from three-point range, which is a significant jump from the 34% he shot at Baylor.
A major factor in this is playing with someone like Maxey. Edgecombe gets plenty of open catch-and-shoot threes, which is the type of shot that he excels in knocking down. Not only that, but the guard’s form looks cleaner and consistently repeatable. The elevation of his three-point shooting and jump shot has also translated into flashes of Edgecombe attempting pull-ups from deep. He has looked comfortable in taking those shots, and his shot looks good. Building upon these improvements will only increase his ceiling, but what he has currently makes him a reliable floor spacer.
3) Maturity
The maturity Edgecombe has displayed has been highly impressive. He consistently plays the game with a level head and rarely, if ever, makes a rookie mistake. Edgecombe also plays within himself. Specifically, he isn’t looking to take bad shots or play selfish basketball. He plays within the flow of the offense and looks to move the ball whenever possible. From a rookie, that level of maturity is highly commendable, and it has led to winning. Additionally, Edgecombe plays the game with confidence, making him look fearless on the court. His overall maturity and mentality make Edgecombe the rare rookie who can immediately impact an NBA game.
Featured image: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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