VJ Edgecombe is off to a productive rookie campaign with the Philadelphia 76ers, and the NBA recently recognized the No. 3 pick for a defensive highlight on social media.
Edgecombe is averaging 15.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, four assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 36.6% from 3-point range in 26 appearances. He is third among all rookies in scoring and is one of five first-year players to score at least 30 points in a game this season.
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The 20-year-old has had some incredible highlights, from his soaring one-handed jams to his acrobatic finishes. He also had an athletic chasedown block on Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero on Oct. 27, which was ranked as the ninth-best defensive play of the year.
🔒 TOP 10 DEFENSIVE PLAYS OF 2025 🔒
10. Cade’s one-handed vertical
9. VJ’s unreal chasedown swat
8. Wemby’s double-block
7. McDaniels’ transition defense
6. Turner’s lock down defense
5. Conley’s boxout & block
4. Wemby’s 100th straight game with a block
3. Dyson’s game-winning… pic.twitter.com/98CBGM62vp— NBA (@NBA) December 30, 2025
Edgecombe is affecting games at a high level on both ends of the court, as evidenced by his block on Banchero. He is also tied with Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu for the league lead in offensive loose-balls recovered (21) and ninth among rookies in contested shots (114).
Offensively, the Bahamian guard has scored at least 10 points in all but four games this season, including his career-high 34-point effort on Oct. 22. He is one of three rookies to score at least 20 points in four straight games this season.
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Edgecombe has fit in nicely with the Sixers, forming a lethal backcourt scoring duo with Tyrese Maxey. He has earned the trust of his teammates and coaches and has emerged as one of the top first-year players through the first half of the season.
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Sixers news: VJ Edgecombe earns a place on NBA’s top plays of 2025
