The 76ers Backcourt Has Been Stellar

One thing the Philadelphia 76ers haven’t had in years is a dominant backcourt. They haven’t been able to pair young athletic talent alongside Tyrese Maxey since they drafted him out of Kentucky in 2020. Last year was a disastrous season for Philadelphia, but the one bright spot that came out of it was VJ Edgcombe.

The 76ers Young Duo Has Been Fantastic

Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe have injected a new form of life into what everyone thought was a dead team. Heading into the season, Edgecombe’s role wasn’t set, and many thought he would start his NBA career coming off the bench. He impressed Head Coach Nick Nurse so much that Nurse decided to start Edgecombe throughout the season, throwing the 3rd overall pick right into the fire. 

The 76ers’ offense has run through these two players, and the whole dynamic of the team has changed because of them. Nick Nurse spoke throughout the offseason about how he wanted to play a faster style on offense, comparing it to other teams in the East. So far, the new style of offense has worked out for the 76ers. 

According to Matt Williams, Maxey and Edgecombe have combined for 186 points this season. This is the most points by any starting backcourt through any team’s first 3 games of a season since starters were first tracked in 1970-71.

Maxey Leads Team To Third Straight Win

In their win over the Orlando Magic, Tyrese Maxey dropped forty-three points, eight assists and four rebounds. This is the second time he’s had 40 points in the first three games of the season. In years past, Maxey wasn’t ready to lead the team and take over a game by himself. So far, he looks like he’s taken his game to the next level. He leads the Eastern Conference in points per game with 37.

As for VJ Edgecombe, he’s exceeded expectations. Edgecombe is averaging 25 points per game, six assists and just under six rebounds per game. Right now, he has been the best rookie out of the 2025 Draft Class. VJ has made an impact on both sides of the ball, flashing his skill set on defense. On offense, he’s shooting fifty percent from the field and forty percent from three.

The fact that their backcourt has been winning them games is an awesome thing to watch. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are an amazing duo to watch and are the future of Philadelphia 76ers.