LeBron James spoke on his podcast and addressed V.J. Edgecombe. He was impressed with not only his mental status, but also what he can bring to the team.
The Philadelphia 76ers built their roster to last beyond just one season. Adding youthful and opportunistic players like VJ Edgecombe and Labaron Philon are part of a calculated plan to put them in the position they are currently in.
LeBron James has faith in these young guys, especially Edgecombe. In fact, James complimented the upstart guard on how he has such wisdom beyond his years. Hearing that a player that young has leadership capabilities is a lost art. It shows the kind of respect he has garnered from his teammates, as well as what he’s shown them through his play on the court. Those are just some of the thoughts from the future Hall of Famer when he talked about Edgecombe on the Mind the Game Podcast with Steve Nash.
Now this was all based on speculation, as James said this was information that he was told. Even if these were words someone told him about, he still knows about Edgecombe’s game and got excited when he talked about the possibilities with him, Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey all on the floor together.
“Those guys are so fast and so athletic; you’re not going to be able to catch up to them,” said James.
Edgecombe is going to bring something different to this team. His defensive tenacity is the thing that James wants to key on. He believes if Edgecombe wants, he could be one of the best defensive players in the league. So much so that he thinks it could lead to an All-Defensive Team. If this team can tap into their defensive bag, it’s just going to make the offense even more potent.
Edgecombe has only scratched the surface of what he can become, and James thinks Jaylen Brown can help bring that out of him. After all, Brown is going to be their best on-ball defender. All this just goes to show the real potential Edgecombe has. Many know about his offensive skills and that he can score at will, but this season he’ll be tasked with doing more.
Edgecombe will have the luxury of learning from one of the best to ever play the game, and he’s going to have to help him take that next step. The second-year star is a large part of what the 76ers need to win. It’s going to be about his development and having players like James. Brown and Joel Embiid will truly be helpful in that aspect.
If the team can go far, it won’t be without the help of a player like Edgecombe and the wildcard he can prove to be for this team.
