3 Sixers to Keep A Close Eye on During Preseason

On Thursday, the Philadelphia 76ers will bring an end to their long offseason, as they take on the New York Knicks as part of the NBA's Abu Dhabi Games. This match will be the first of four matches in the preamble to the regular season for Philadelphia, with the first two coming in the Middle East and the latter two coming at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

As previously stated, the Sixers had a long offseason, with many different storylines surrounding the team, as well as a few new arrivals, so there's a new batch of players to watch across the four preseason matches.

Here are three Sixers players to keep an eye on:

1) VJ Edgecombe

One of those aforementioned storylines that surrounded Philadelphia in the early part of the offseason was regarding what they were going to do with their highly coveted third overall draft pick, which eventually resulted in the selection of VJ Edgecombe from Baylor University.

During his lone season with the Bears, Edgecombe became known as a threat on both sides of the court, averaging 15 points and 2.1 steals per game. This reputation would carry over to his two appearances at the NBA Summer League, where he put up 21.5 points and two steals per game.

The four matches will give the Philadelphia faithful and the NBA world alike a better chance to look at Edgecombe, who saw his time at the Summer League limited due to a left thumb contusion. With several veterans on the Sixers saying that the rookie is turning heads in practice, maybe there's something there to look out for.

2) Dominick Barlow

Another name that stood out from the Sixers' training camp over the weekend was that of Dominick Barlow, who put pen to paper on a deal with the team over the summer. For some, Barlow's name might not ring a bell, but given that he's spent time in both the G League and the NBA, since going undrafted in the 2022 draft.

Dominick Barlow dunks the ball. — Jul 12, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Dominick Barlow (41) dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets in the second quarter of their game at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Last season saw Barlow put up an impressive 20 points and 8.6 rebounds per game during his time with the College Park Skyhawks in the G League, which paved the way for some playing time on the Atlanta Hawks towards the tail end of the season, as he would appear in ten games for the NBA side.

In the two games that he played for Philadelphia in the summer league, the 22-year-old averaged 13.5 points and seven rebounds per game.

3) Adem Bona

The Sixer to have the busiest offseason would probably have been Adem Bona, who played in both legs of the Summer League, as well as EuroBasket 2025. With the Turkish National Team, Bona would fall just short of lifting the trophy, falling to Greece in the finals.

Adem Bona celebrates on the court. — Jul 12, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward/center Adem Bona (30) reacts to a play against the Charlotte Hornets in the third quarter of their game at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Across the nine matches in EuroBasket, Bona would average 5.6 points and 2.1 rebounds, which, while a far cry away from the numbers he was averaging towards the end of his rookie season, has apparently helped the 22-year-old get a new sense of confidence.

According to Sixers' head coach Nick Nurse, Bona has returned not only with confidence on the court, but also a stronger physique.

"He had an amazing summer, he's gotten stronger, he's breaking all the weight room records in there, he's really looking good," Nurse explained.

The first match of the Sixers' preseason will come on Thursday, as they take on the New York Knicks at the Etihad Arena.

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