34+7 in NBA debut! First in history! Let the team leader play second fiddle. How high is the upper limit of the 76ers No. 3 pick?

When the final whistle of the new season opener between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics sounded, and the number 117-116 was fixed on the scoreboard, everyone's eyes went beyond Maxi, who scored 40 points, and past Embiid, who was pressed on the bench, and focused on the Bahamian boy who was wearing a 76ers jersey and had just played the first regular season game of his NBA career - VJ Edgecombe. He made 13 of 26 shots, 5 of 13 three-pointers, and scored 34 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal. Such debut statistics were enough to shock the league. What was even more subversive was that when the team's core Embiid "clocked out" early with a sluggish performance of 1 of 9 shots and only 4 points, it was the rookie who withstood the pressure and teamed up with Maxey to overturn the Celtics who lacked Tatum. This anxious narrow victory was not only a good start to the season for the 76ers, but also a preview of a "transfer of power": The rookie who had just landed in the NBA had the team boss play second fiddle to him in this battle. How high could his upper limit be?

Is he at his peak in his debut? He used records to rewrite the history of the 76ers

No one could have expected that Edgecombe's NBA debut would be so "unreasonable." Before the start of the game, the focus of outside discussion was "Can the 76ers without George withstand the Celtics' offensive" and "Whether Embiid's health will affect his performance." However, after the first quarter, all topics were replaced by one name-Edgecomb. He scored 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting. This number directly broke LeBron James's 22-year-old record of "highest points in a single quarter for an NBA rookie in his debut" (12 points). You must know that James' debut that year was already regarded as a declaration of "The Chosen One", and Edgecombe surpassed it in just one quarter, becoming the first person in history to hold this record.

Throughout the game, Edgecomb showed little of the rawness of a rookie. He played 42 minutes and only rested for 6 minutes. He became the team's "anchor" on both offense and defense: On the offensive end, he could not only receive a pass from Maxi and hit an ice-cold three-pointer, but also break through with the ball to complete a difficult layup; on the defensive end, he interfered with the Celtics' passing routes many times and used his 2.02-meter wingspan to limit the opponent's wing scoring - this was the ability that the 76ers lacked most last season (opponent wings averaged 48.7 points per game last season, last in the league). When the game entered the final critical moment, he was not as timid as other rookies. Instead, he took the initiative to assume offensive tasks and helped the team stabilize the score.

What is even more dramatic is the "contrast" between him and Embiid. As the absolute core of the team and the former MVP, Embiid only played 20 minutes in this game before being DNP due to his poor performance. His 1-for-9 shooting rate was in sharp contrast to Edgecombe's efficiency. After the game, a reporter photographed Embiid staring at the field from the sidelines with complicated eyes - perhaps he did not expect that in his absence, the team would not only win, but also have such a "replacement" emerge. The media in Philadelphia even directly wrote, "Please trade Embiid and George and rebuild around Maxey and Edgecombe!" The cooperation between Edgecombe and Maxey is even more promising: the two scored 74 points in total, complementing each other offensively, and quite similar to the prototype of a "double gun in the backcourt." You know, the team often lost when Maxi scored high points alone last season, but this time with the help of Edgecombe, the victory finally came as expected.

From a small island in the Bahamas to the NBA stage: His growth was a "counterattack script"

Edgecomb's outbreak was not an accident, but the result of his years of "going upstream." His hometown is Bimini in the Bahamas, a place known for its blue sea and white sand, where basketball is far from a mainstream sport. It wasn't until the ninth grade that he was discovered by Montverde Academy in Florida, USA - this high school can be called the "cradle of the NBA", where stars such as Ben Simmons and RJ Barrett came from. When he first arrived in the United States, Edgecombe couldn't even speak English well, "but the coach pointed to the court and said: 'Basketball is the only language here.'" This encouragement became his motto.

At Montverde Academy, Edgecombe showed amazing adaptability. In his sophomore season, he averaged 22.3 points per game and led the team to win the New York State Championship; in the McDonald's All-American High School All-American Game, his video of dunking on a 2.10-meter center was viewed more than 6 million times on social media, making more people remember this guard with both speed and explosiveness. ESPN gave his high school grade as high as 96 points, ranking him third in the nation in the 2024 class. Draft analyst Jonathan Givony even commented on him: "It's like installing two rocket boosters. He can't even catch up with his shadow when he rushes forward."

After landing at Baylor University, a traditional NCAA team, Edgecombe did not indulge in offensive talent. Instead, he was turned into a "defensive machine" by head coach Scott Drew. He wears the No. 15 jersey - this is the championship jersey of Baylor University's legendary guard Jared Butler. The coach's positioning for him is very clear: "I want you to lock down the opponent's strongest perimeter." In the season opener against Auburn University, he let last year's All-American guard Trey Donaldson made only 4 of 15 shots; in the December 2024 game against Kansas State University, when the main scorer was injured, he scored 30 points on 5 of 7 three-pointers while maintaining an average of 9.3 pass interference per game (ranked among the top three in the country).

During the NBA joint trial, Edgecombe's physical talent shocked the scouts: the take-off height during the run-up was 97.8 centimeters, and he sprinted 3/4 of the field in only 3.20 seconds, which was faster than the last No. 1 pick Brandon Miller. These data confirm his "all-roundness"-not only can score, but also defend and sprint, which fully meets the requirements of the modern NBA for defenders.

Why do 76 people bet on him? The "optimal solution" under strategic needs

In the 2025 NBA draft, when the 76ers selected Edgecombe with the third overall pick, the outside world was still confused: Why did the team choose a guard when they already had Maxi? But after watching the opening game, everyone understood the management’s “foresight”. The 76ers have always had weak links in wing defense. In the 23-24 season, the 76ers' wings averaged 48.7 points per game, which ranked last in the league. When faced with the Celtics, who have four ball-holding points taking turns to attack, Maxey and Embiid can get tired and cramp. "We need players who can immediately help reduce the burden on Maxi and Embiid." The words of the 76ers president of basketball operations revealed the core need - they do not need another "black hole of ball rights", but a player who can integrate offense and defense and quickly integrate into the system. Edgecombe's defensive ability is the "tonic" the 76ers desperately need.

Salary consideration is also an important factor. Edgecomb's No. 3 pick contract is about $50 million over four years, but after team wing Grimes averaged 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists last season, he reached a contract with the 76ers this summer with an average salary of $25-30 million, but The 76ers could only offer a four-year, $39 million contract. In the end, the two sides failed to reach an agreement. Grimes accepted a qualifying offer contract of $8.7 million and will become a completely free agent next summer. Edgecombe is undoubtedly the best candidate to replace Grimes.

More importantly, Edgecomb's style perfectly complements Maxey's. Maxey is good at breaking through and scoring with the ball, but has shortcomings on the defensive end; while Edgecombe can not only defend the opponent's core perimeter, but also run without the ball, catch and shoot on the offensive end - this "1+1>2" effect is exactly the system the 76ers are pursuing. In the opening game, the two completed pick-and-roll cooperation many times. Maxey attracted the defense and then passed the ball to Edgecombe, who steadily hit a three-pointer. This scene may become a "regular weapon" for the 76ers in the new season.

The upper limit geometry? Strengths and shortcomings coexist, and his growth requires "patience"

Although his debut was stunning, to judge Edgecombe's upper limit, his strengths and shortcomings need to be viewed objectively. His advantages are outstanding enough: firstly, physical talent, with a 97.8cm run-up jump and a sprint speed of 3.20 seconds, which makes him almost invincible in transition attacks - in the opening game, he started from the backcourt and completed a gliding dunk in only 2.8 seconds. This kind of scene will appear frequently in the future; secondly, defensive awareness. The NCAA performance of averaging 9.3 pass interferences per game is not accidental. His judgment on passing routes and defensive intensity can effectively ease the situation. 76ers flank defensive pressure; finally, learning ability. During Baylor University, his three-point shooting percentage increased from 28.4% in November to 42.9% in January of the following year, relying on practicing 300 three-point shots per week; after joining the 76ers, he practiced "corner three-point catch and feint + reverse step-back jumper" 200 times a day, and the success rate increased from 35% to 62%. This "diligence can make up for one's mistakes" attitude is the key to the growth of a star.

But the shortcomings are also obvious: insufficient positional warfare processing ability, low finishing efficiency under high confrontation, and the turnover rate is 1.8 times the average of the point guard position. However, these shortcomings are not "fatal injuries", but "regular problems" for rookies. Edgecombe's maturity far exceeds that of rookies of the same age. In the opening game, he repeatedly chose "reasonable passing" rather than "forced shots" at critical moments. This kind of "overall view" is rare. According to the scouting report, Edgecombe’s upper limit is Wade and his lower limit is Oladipo! From a historical perspective, Edgecomb's debut has already ranked among the top ranks of the NBA: only two players in NBA history scored higher than him in their rookie opening game (France Sewell 35 points in 1954, Chamberlain 43 points in 1959), while legends such as James (25 points) and Iverson (30 points) all scored lower than him in their first games. If he can maintain this growth rate, he can at least become an All-Star player, and even have the opportunity to become the core of the 76ers' "post-Embid era."

Conclusion: Philadelphia's new hope is more than just the "myth of the debut"

Edgecombe's debut was like a "timely rain" that extinguished the outside world's doubts about the 76ers' "over-reliance on Embiid" and ignited the hopes of Philadelphia fans. Of course, the outbreak of one game does not mean eternity. Edgecombe will have to face a denser schedule, more targeted defense, and a more complex tactical system. But judging from his growth trajectory, technical characteristics and team environment, he has the potential to become a "superstar". Perhaps it won't be long before we see the "double backcourt" formed by Edgecombe and Maxey, leading the 76ers to attack the championship.

"Only basketball speaks here." This sentence Edgecombe heard when he first arrived in the United States has now become his "manifesto." 34+7 in his NBA debut is just the beginning. This boy from the Bahamas is using basketball to rewrite his own destiny and also reshape the future of the 76ers. How high is his ceiling? The answer may be hidden in the three-pointers he practices every day, in every steal he makes on the defensive end, and in his love and persistence for basketball.