The Tribune

By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

VALDEZ “VJ” Edgecombe Jr’s second NBA season began with a different offensive workload from the one he carried during his rookie campaign, but the Bahamian guard remained part of the Philadelphia 76ers’ plans as they opened the 2026-27 season with a 106-100 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

Edgecombe Jr finished with nine points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal in 34 minutes as the Sixers began their season with a victory over the reigning NBA champions. He shot four of 10 from the field, missed all three of his attempts from beyond the arc and converted one of two free throws, while finishing with a plus minus rating of zero.

The numbers represented a considerable change from his first NBA game last October, when he announced himself with 34 points, seven rebounds and three assists in a 117-116 win over the Boston Celtics. That performance immediately established the former Baylor University standout as one of the most exciting young players in the league, but his second season presents a different challenge following Philadelphia’s significant offseason recruitment.

The Sixers added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to a roster that already included Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, creating a starting line up with four established offensive options alongside Edgecombe Jr. The Bimini native is therefore entering a season in which his contribution will not necessarily be measured by how frequently he handles the ball or leads the team in scoring.

Maxey led the Sixers with 28 points, five assists and four rebounds, while Brown contributed 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his Sixers regular season debut. James finished his debut with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Embiid recorded 13 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocks.

Edgecombe Jr’s scoring output was modest by comparison, but his playing time indicated that he remains an important part of head coach Nick Nurse’s rotation. He played almost 35 minutes in a game in which Philadelphia relied on its collection of established stars to provide much of the offensive production.

The change in circumstances was anticipated before the season began, with Edgecombe Jr acknowledging that the arrival of James and Brown could affect his opportunities while insisting that winning remains his priority.

Speaking to The Philadelphia Inquirer in August, Edgecombe Jr said: “But I just want to win. I’m going to still be aggressive, still be myself. If that comes with less shots or more shots, who knows. I don’t know how the course of the game is going to go. I’m just excited to play alongside my teammates. I think we have a chance to do something really special.”

The comments reflected a willingness to adapt rather than become preoccupied with maintaining the individual production that defined his rookie season. Edgecombe averaged 16 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals across 75 games last season, establishing himself as a reliable contributor and finishing third in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting.

His challenge now is to translate that development into a role within a more experienced and offensively loaded starting five.

Edgecombe Jr also recognised the importance of becoming a respected perimeter shooting threat as defences concentrate on Philadelphia’s other scorers.

In the same interview, he explained that he had been working on his shooting during the summer, knowing that the presence of so many established offensive players could create opportunities away from the ball.

“It’s fine if they don’t respect me, I’ll just get a bunch of open shots,” Edgecombe Jr said. “I’m just working. That’s the main thing for me. That comes with work. Whatever I want I got to work for it. I’m willing to do that.”

His shooting against the Knicks illustrated the area that will require attention as the season progresses. Edgecombe Jr missed all three of his three-point attempts, although his overall field-goal percentage stood at 40 per cent.

It would be premature to draw conclusions from one game, particularly given the adjustment required when playing alongside several high usage teammates, but consistent perimeter shooting will be important to keeping defences from concentrating solely on Philadelphia’s leading scorers.

Nurse has already made it clear that he values qualities in Edgecombe Jr that extend beyond his scoring ability. Following the Sixers’ elimination from the playoffs in May, the coach praised the rookie’s overall contribution and the characteristics he believes will support his development.

“That was a hell of an impressive rookie season. I mean, he’s a hell of a player, and it’s not about shooting, scoring, jumping, any of that stuff,” Nurse said. “He really knows how to play. He really has a leadership quality to him. I think he’s a big time winner. Works really hard.”

Nurse added that Edgecombe’s future remained bright because of the qualities he had demonstrated during his first season. The coach’s assessment provides context for the guard’s place in the new look 76ers line-up, where his value will also depend on his ability to defend, make decisions and contribute without dominating possession.

Against New York, Edgecombe Jr was involved in an important defensive sequence late in the fourth quarter. With the Knicks attempting to close the gap, he and Embiid met Jalen Brunson at the point of attack, while James took away the outlet pass to Karl Anthony Towns and Maxey moved into the passing lane to produce a steal and a fast-break dunk.

The sequence illustrated how Edgecombe Jr could remain influential even when he was not among Philadelphia’s leading scorers. Edgecombe Jr ultimately held Brunson to 19 points on six of 19 shooting as his primary defender, while their defensive effort helped them secure the win after the Knicks had outscored them 58-54 in the first half.

Philadelphia responded by outscoring New York 29-18 in the third quarter before both teams traded baskets in the final period. The Sixers finished the game with a six-point victory, spoiling the Knicks’ championship celebrations and giving their revamped roster an encouraging start.

His second season has only just begun, and one game cannot establish what his role will look like as the season gets older.