Oct 27, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe (77) reacts to guard Tyrese Maxey (0) three pointer against the Orlando Magic during the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

VJ Edgecombe Creates Pressure for 76ers in the Eastern Conference

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Oct 29, 2025 8:47 PM ET

The Philadelphia 76ers are feeling good about where they are at early on. The rookie first-rounder VJ Edgecombe couldn’t be off to a better start, and he’s feeling extremely confident about where his team is at currently.

As Edgecombe recently sat down for an interview on ‘Inside the NBA’ alongside Tyrese Maxey, the rookie made a bold statement, putting the league on notice, mainly due to his confidence in Joel Embiid.

“He’s been playing 20 minutes and he’s still having 25 points. With Big Fella back up there, no, I think we’re going to win the [championship] if you ask me. I don’t care what anyone else got to say,” Edgecombe said, with a smiling Tyrese Maxey listening.

VJ Edgecombe:

“With big fella (Embiid) back there, I think we’re gonna win the chip.”

(via @NBA__Courtside)pic.twitter.com/A1tD8fc1JT
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 29, 2025

In three out of four games, Edgecombe shared the court with Embiid for the first time in his career. The star center returned to the court after undergoing a second surgery during the 2024-2025 season. Making his way back into the lineup after a 19-game run last year, Embiid has been on a restriction of roughly 20 minutes.

There have been ups and downs, but he’s improving every game.

In his first game back, Embiid went 1-9 from the field for four points. When he checked in for 20 minutes against the Charlotte Hornets, he made 63 percent of his shots from the field to score 20 points. The Sixers gave Embiid the night off against the Orlando Magic before returning for the second night of the back-to-back set against the Washington Wizards.

In 23 minutes of action, Embiid knocked down 52 percent of his shots. He dropped 25 points, and produced seven rebounds, five assists, and one block throughout his limited action.

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Although Embiid’s numbers are down for the second season in a row after he averaged 34.7 points and 11.0 rebounds two years ago, the Sixers are clearly confident that he’s an X-factor for their title chances. More playing time could develop more consistency, which could do wonders for the Sixers.

For the time being, they are relying on the young and dynamic backcourt, which is headlined by Tyrese Maxey and Edgecombe. Through four games, Maxey is averaging 37.5 points, shooting 47 percent from the field. He’s also producing 8.3 assists per game.

As for Edgecombe, he’s leading all rookies in scoring with 22.3 points per game, along with 5.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per matchup. The Sixers still have a lot to prove, but Edgecombe is confident they can take advantage of the wide-open Eastern Conference.

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