Paul George is perfect mentor for 76ers' first-rounder V.J. Edgecombe

Edgecombe, a Bimini native, turned heads with the Bahamas Olympic qualifier team when he dominated against and alongside NBA talent. He was teammates with Buddy Hield, Eric Gordon and DeAndre Ayton on the Olympic qualifying team and averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists in the four games. The Bahamas didn’t ultimately qualify, losing in the final to Spain, but the NBA pros on the team cited him as their best player in the tournament.

"He showed tremendous upside when he played with the Bahamas," George said. "He was competing and playing against top talent, and he was dunking on them. He was blowing by them."

Edgecombe is an athletic marvel

When watching his collegiate film, the athleticism of Edgecombe is impossible to ignore. He plays bigger than his height and frequently punished the rim in his lone season at Baylor. 

The highest-drafted NBA player in Baylor history, Edgecombe uses his agility and body control to generate crafty and sometimes violent finishes at the rim.

While his long-range shooting could use some work, Edgecombe's efficiency as a slasher should allow him to make an instant impact in Philly.

Edgecombe has potential to be lockdown defender

The Sixers' first-rounder notched 68 steals in 33 games at Baylor, and his 2.1 steals per game was the fourth-most among all qualified Big 12 players. 

Considering his intensity and tireless effort on defense, George's pro comparison of Butler is not a stretch.

Edgecombe is a twitchy athlete who suffocates ball handlers around the perimeter, often leading to deflections and steals. He rarely gives scorers a clean look, and the 2024-25 Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year hustles on every play.

Just take a look at the distance he covered in seconds to record this chase-down block against Houston.

Now paired with nine-time All-Star George in Philly, Edgecombe will be able to learn from one of the best perimeter defenders of the last quarter-century. 

During his prime, George was constantly tasked with defending the opposing team's top players, leading to famous bouts with LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and DeMar DeRozan during his time in Indiana. 

George was twice selected All-Defense in his first four seasons and led the NBA in steals during the 2018-19 season. An elite defender in his own right, he could be the mentor needed to ensure Edgecombe maximizes his immense defensive potential. 

Given his stature and gifted athletic abilities, Edgecombe flashes shades of a young Dwyane Wade defensively. 

During his pro career, Wade was one of the best shot-blocking guards in the league, despite being considered undersized for his position. Edgecombe is similarly undersized, but makes up for it with mind-boggling leaping ability. 

With defensive tutelage from shot-blocking specialist Joel Embiid and former steals champion George, Edgecombe could quickly develop into a premier defender in Philly.

George can teach Edgecombe to handle two-way workload

Although Edgecombe is best known for his defensive prowess, he offers upside as a scorer, too. The dynamic slasher averaged 15 PPG at Baylor, which ranked just behind Norchad Omier's team-high 15.7 points per game.

Most of Edgecombe's baskets were explosive finishes around the rim, as he was a human highlight reel with the Bears. At times, much to the Sixers' delight, Edgecombe flashed promise as a three-point shooter.

During a January matchup against BYU, Edgecombe drilled six of his eight three-point attempts en route to a 28-point showing. Furthermore, Edgecombe drained two or more three-pointers in 15 games (or 45 percent of his starts). 

While he won't be the first (or even second or third) option in Philly, the Sixers' No. 3 pick is expected to contribute offensively. With George, a do-it-all type player in his heyday, as his mentor, Edgecombe may be molded into an elite two-way player.

"We're super excited about VJ, what he can bring to the team," Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey told reporters. "A dynamic athlete, a potential All-Star, two-way player, really helped his team. He's got all these winning qualities that we think really fit. Great teammate. His story and what he's done to get to this point is really unbelievable. And we think he's on a great trajectory to take where he's come from and continue to improve through Baylor all the way through a very long and very promising NBA career. And we're excited it's here at the 76ers."