Philadelphia 76ers Rookie Downplays Beef with Cooper Flagg As 'All Love'

Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe recently addressed his alleged rivalry with Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg. Edgecombe, 19, said his beef with Flagg, 18, was “all love.” The Bahamian guard and the American forward previously had a run-in during a high school basketball game, but the 76ers will tell a much different story.

Philadelphia 76ers Rookie Downplays Beef

VJ Edgecombe and Cooper Flagg were two of the top prospects of the 2024 recruiting cycle. Edgecombe and Flagg were both five-star recruits who went viral before being one-and-done players at Baylor and Duke, respectively. The two reportedly exchanged words at the free-throw line in 2024.

In a recent appearance on “Podcast P” with Paul George, Edgecombe said, “It’s a friendly rivalry; off the court we’re close … We’re close, but we know on the court, we’re competing. People thought he said (that), because he thought I was bad or something like that. Nah. I stepped over him. He was not the floor and got the last shot of like the third quarter and walking to my bench, I seen him on the floor and I just walked over him.”

“I had like 20-something (points) that game. He can’t say I’m not like that. He shot, flopped and tried to get a foul and I was like, ‘Bro, that ain’t no foul’ and I just walked over him to my bench. They dragged it. The camera man dragged it so crazy. I understand it’s for clicks.”

Edgecombe and Flagg met again as freshmen in college basketball earlier this year. Edgecombe stated, “At the end of the day, it’s all love between me and Coop … They tried it again in March (during the NCAA Tournament). We at the free-throw line and they tried to make it a thing again.”

76ers Rookie’s Future
Like Cooper Flagg, VJ Edgecombe’s future appears to be bright. The Philadelphia 76ers selected Edgecombe with the third overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, while the Dallas Mavericks drafted Flagg with the first overall pick. Both Edgecombe and Flagg shone during the 2025 NBA Summer League. Edgecombe recorded a game-high 28 points on 13-of-27 shooting, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists in his debut before being shut down.

Flagg made two starts before bouncing back with a 31-point performance and getting closed down. Flagg’s 31 points were the most by a No. 1 pick in Summer League play since John Wall in 2010. Flagg showed the Mavericks that he was a gem in their top selection. Wall, now 34, was widely known for his 10-year tenure with the Washington Wizards as a star point guard.

Final Thoughts

VJ Edgecombe averaged 15 points and 5.6 rebounds per game during his only season at Baylor. Meanwhile, Flagg became the National College Basketball Player of the Year in his lone season at Duke. Edgecombe told Paul George that he “hated college basketball” because of the lack of spacing and expects his full offensive arsenal to be on display at the next level.