Now that VJ Edgecombe has had some real runs with LeBron James, there's so much he can unlock.
One of the Philadelphia 76ers' young stars is going to play a vital role in the team's aspirations for an NBA championship.
VJ Edgecombe, the second-year star has been constantly reported as having to take a step back and allow the game to come to him. Even LeBron James doesn’t get the reason behind it. James doesn’t see any reason for Edgecombe to forgo what he’s done in his rookie season for the four all-stars on the team. In fact, Edgecombe could turn out to be the best defender on the team. That’s the kind of thing that Nick Nurse would love to have. The defensive guru that is Nurse loves to have versatile defenders on his roster.
Edgecombe was even asked how it would feel to potentially be the primary defender on some prominent scorers, and Edgecombe welcomed the challenge. Edgecombe explained that he wants to be the point of attack defender and that there are plenty of guards who are able to be disruptive and that he would love to set the tone defensively. He also details that he will make sure he is in the best shape possible to take on that role.
Edgecombe would benefit from learning from one of the best on-ball defenders in the games, Jaylen Brown. Brown could be the mentor that Edgecombe needs to help him take that next step in his sophomore year. That’s something James thinks could happen when he talked about the pair on the Mind the Game podcast.
Brown and Edgecombe could combine to be the most stout duo when it comes to defense, something that could lead to an All Defensive Team vote. Now that the defense has been addressed, let’s look into the offensive side. Edgecombe will be able to run the way he was born to, at will.
This offense has very intricate pieces to it, and Edgecombe is going to be that constant piece that thrives. He has already caught a lob pass from James in training camp. We could see shades of that Miami combination of James and Dwayne Wade; now no one is saying that Edgecombe is Wade, but there are some striking resemblances in their style of play.
He can get up and down the floor with his speed and quickness. He may be a better shooter than Wade, but his style will be very complimentary of how James plays the game. Besides, James isn’t looking to be the top scorer on the team, so it adds to what this team will look like.
Edgecombe is a good player, but after this season, he could be a great one.
