Jason Williams is always going to have something to say. This time he says VJ Edgecombe is the best fifth option to ever play.
Not many people talk about the fifth option on the team they have in regard to the Philadelphia 76ers.
VJ Edgecombe, according to former NBA star Jason Williams on the Hoopin N Hollerin Podcast, is going to be the best fifth option ever. What's really interesting is that the group began running down the list of great NBA teams, and there wasn’t a single one that Williams would take over Edgecombe. That’s extremely high praise coming from someone like Williams.
You know, he may be right on this one. Edgecombe, as far as talent, is head and shoulders above the rest. What’s even better is that he’s so young. His first year, he showed so much promise. Averaging 16 points and being the third option gave him plenty of opportunity to showcase his abilities. Now, in his second year he gets to share the floor with the likes of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.
Now, he has to take a backseat to these stars, and many believe it diminishes his growth. Meanwhile, Williams believes that this won’t be the case. In fact, if Edgecombe plays his role the right way, he’ll be what Williams proclaimed, “the best fifth option ever.”
As the fifth option, he could be the most unorthodox player on the court. The reason being, you don’t know how he will attack. Edgecombe has an innate ability to get to the rim however he wants. If the paint is clogged, he has the ball skills to create space to get an open shot.
Edgecombe showcased his talents with the Bahamas team as they trounced Panama, 100-83. In that game Edgecombe had 25 points and was 7-for-11 from behind the arc. This is the kind of game he could have been the fifth option for. It’s also the reason Williams believes that he could be the best.
Imagine what he could do when he faces a Boston team that loves shooting the three ball. Edgecombe would be the secret weapon that Philadelphia never knew they had. Well, one player would know. Maxey has already declared he will make it his mission to get Edgecombe involved throughout the season.
What he learns now could be the very thing that influences his growth and allows him to be a deadly combo with Tyrese Maxey in the future. Even with Edgecombe playing the role of the fifth man, his growth from FIBA ball plus what he gains on the floor with James will be quintessential to the kind of player he could be.
