ESPN Ranks Sixers Sensation as Third Best Rookie at Midseason

Sixers phenom VJ Edgecombe ranked as the third best rookie in the class of 2025 in ESPN's midseason rookie rankings.

Here's what ESPN.com's Zach Kram had to say about the Bahamas native playing a key role in Philadelphia's future:

Edgecombe got off to a scorching start in October, slumped in November and has since rebounded to already be a solid NBA starter at 20 years old. Edgecombe isn't very efficient overall, but his 37% mark on 3-pointers is a crucial improvement on the 34% he managed on the shorter college line at Baylor. And his defensive activity is stellar, as he's averaging 1.5 steals and ranks 14th with 3.5 deflections per game. The young guard still has ample room to improve. On pick-and-rolls, for instance, Edgecombe is averaging just 0.76 points per play, which ranks last among 94 players with at least 300 picks this season. But the other factor in Edgecombe's favor is his team context, as he's putting up impressive overall numbers (15.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists) while playing for a winer. Harper is the only other rookie near the top of this list who can say the same, and he's coming off the bench while Edgecombe is playing 36 minutes a game in Philadelphia.
Zach Kram

Kram went on to rank Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg as the second best rookie in the class. Flagg's teammate at Duke, Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets, ranked best.

Kram hits the nail right on the head with his assessment of Edgecombe's shooting. It's been a monumental swing skill that has kept Edgecombe at the top of Nick Nurse's rotation as a rookie.

Edgecombe being a rhythm shooter might stand as the biggest influence on his surprisingly strong perimeter shooting at the NBA level. Nurse, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey have put the ball in Edgecombe's hands more as the season has gone on, licensing him to make decisions as the initiator of the offense. With that comes rhythm.

The other element to consider is that Edgecombe's shot diet might feel more natural to him now than it did in college. At Baylor, Edgecombe was pretty clearly encouraged to get most of his shots from beyond the arc and at the rim. The Sixers have given him the freedom to get to his mid-range game, enabling him to assert his scoring prowess as he sees fit and thus building up to the three-point shot depending on how he's being guarded.

While the most ardent Edgecombe supporters might argue that he's been the best or second best rookie in the class, third feels about right for the season he's had. Which is to say, this class has been very strong in year one.

Flagg has come along quickly after Ryan Nembhard debuted and took some of the ball-handling pressure off his rookie teammate. Knueppel has been an unbelievable shooter for the Hornets and his control playing off two feet has helped him put up consistent scoring numbers. But he's not the defender Edgecombe is.

Second or third in the class is a reasonable ruling. Edgecombe, who is averaging a shade below 16 points per game this season, could probably have bolstered his case for first or second with some better finishing at the rim. The efficiency at the hoop is really the only qualm with his offensive game in year one.

Regardless, the Sixers will take it. Edgecombe's meteoric rise is one of the reasons that Philadelphia's future is cause for excitement.