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V. J. Edgecombe
Bahamian basketball player (born 2005) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Valdez Drexel "V. J." Edgecombe Jr. (born July 30, 2005) is a Bahamian professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Baylor Bears. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class. Edgecombe was selected with the 3rd overall pick by the 76ers in the 2025 NBA draft.[2]
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Early life and high school career
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Edgecombe was born and spent his childhood in Bimini, The Bahamas.[3][4] Edgecombe grew up in the Abaco Islands of The Bahamas, where he first played basketball in local youth leagues. He participated in development camps organized by NBA player Buddy Hield, whom he later described as a mentor figure.[5]
Edgecombe described himself as "[coming] from nothing", living off a generator due to limited electricity.[6][7] He migrated to the United States when he was in ninth grade, originally settling in Florida.[8] [9] He attended Victory International Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida for two years before transferring to Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School in Brookville, New York as a boarding student.[10] He averaged 15.5 points, five rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.2 steals per game during his junior season as the Crusaders won the state championship.[11][12] Edgecombe was named the New York Gatorade Player of the Year and the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) Player of the Year at the end of the season.[13] As a senior, Edgecombe averaged 17.3 points, six rebounds, four assists, and 2.3 steals per game to lead the Crusaders to a 21–5 record. During his senior year, he was selected to play in the 2024 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.[14]
Recruiting
Edgecombe was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class, according to major recruiting services.[15] He was originally rated 153rd in the composite ranking of 247Sports, but moved up to the top five following his performance in the Adidas 3SSB travel circuit as a junior.[16] On January 14, 2024, Edgecombe committed to playing college basketball for Baylor after considering offers from Duke and Kentucky.[17]
During his lone season at Baylor, Edgecombe drew consistent praise from head coach Scott Drew for his intensity and work ethic. Drew called him “one of the most disciplined and mature freshmen we’ve ever had” and credited his defensive mindset as a defining part of the team’s identity.[18]
According to the Baylor Lariat, Drew nicknamed him “The Edge” in practice and said his humility and self-motivation “set the tone for younger players.”[19]
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Professional career
Edgecombe was selected with the third overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2025 NBA draft.[20]
In his NBA regular season debut on October 22, 2025, Edgecombe scored 34 points, pulled down seven rebounds and collected three assists to help the Sixers to a 117–116 win against the Boston Celtics. His 34 points were the most all-time in an NBA debut in Sixers franchise history, surpassing the previous record of 30 set by Allen Iverson, and the third-most all time in NBA history, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain (43; 1959) and Frank Selvy (35; 1954). He also surpassed LeBron James' previous record (12) for the most points scored in a quarter in an NBA debut, with 14.[21][22][23]
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National team career
Edgecombe was named to the Bahamas national team for the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Valencia.[24] Edgecombe averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in four games.[25] At the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Valencia), Edgecombe averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists in four games, including 12 points, six rebounds and five assists in the final against Spain.[26] He opened the tournament with 20 points in a 96–85 win over Finland—drawing attention from Finnish media as an 18-year-old “surprise card”—and then top-scored with 21 points in a 90–81 victory over Poland, capped by a dagger three in the final minute.[27][28][29] Although limited by foul trouble in the final against Spain, Edgecombe made several key baskets and helped the Bahamas close the gap late in the game before ultimately falling short.[30] His teammates praised his poise despite his age. Buddy Hield said that Edgecombe was “elite and special… so electric, with all the intangibles,” while veteran guard Eric Gordon described him as “one of the most athletic and gifted young players in our game.”[31] Edgecombe later said that playing alongside NBA veterans such as Hield and Gordon “was a true confidence booster.”[32]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College
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References
External links
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