David Adelman Lauds VJ Edgecombe's Competitive Spirit, Calls Him a 'Problem'

On the rare occasion he was able to take in a college basketball game last season, now rookie sensation VJ Edgecombe was one of the players who reinforced that enjoyment Adelman gets from simply watching.

Jan 1, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) celebrates making a three point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA — Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman knows that film time is study time. It's work, and it's not as fun as being able to just sit back and watch a basketball game.

College basketball conflicts with his job. The seasons overlap. But on the rare occasion he was able to take in a college basketball game last season, now rookie sensation VJ Edgecombe was one of the players who reinforced that enjoyment Adelman gets from simply watching.

"He immediately stood out. Just the athleticism, the speed, the competitiveness," Adelman told reporters ahead of Monday's matchup between the Sixers and what remains of the injury-depleted Nuggets.

In Adelman's eyes, all three of those attributes have translated to the NBA.

Perhaps there's no need to complicate why Edgecombe has popped so much in his first NBA season. Perhaps Adelman's explanation is all it is. We can analyze shooting percentages and pore over defensive clips, but maybe the athleticism, speed and competitive spirit are the basis for why the kid from Bimini, Bahamas is changing the Sixers' trajectory — now and into the future.

"Watching him against Memphis the other night, just so impressive. Like I said, I think the athleticism, the skill set, all that stuff is impressive," Adelman said.

The athleticism and speed show up on highlight reels in bright, flashy colors. Competitive nature prevails in more subtle ways. Adelman sees it, and he believes that that intangible distinguishes Edgecombe from so many other promising players who tour the NBA.

"It's just more the competitive spirit of that kid. He plays so hard. You're looking for that in people nowadays. There's a lot of people that are talented and get paid to play basketball. There's guys you can tell love to play. And he does," Adelman said on Monday evening.

Adelman, who took the throne after former head coach Michael Malone was fired early last April, has seen what it means to be a "problem" in the NBA. He recognizes the jargon popularized by the modern NBA consumer when he sees it. His star center, Nikola Jokic, is one of the biggest "problems" the sport has to offer, an unstoppable force like no other.

And minutes after praising Sixers big man Joel Embiid as a "Hall of Famer" in waiting, Adelman put Edgecombe in the "problem" category.

"That was a great draft pick by Daryl and those guys," Adelman concluded.