VJ Edgecombe Reveals Offseason Plans Ahead of Second Year with Sixers

What’s next for the Sixers is uncertain after the New York Knicks swept them in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. But VJ Edgecombe guaranteed one thing during he and Tyrese Maxey’s end-of-season press conference on Sunday night.

“Coming into next year, [a] team won’t ever leave me open.”

VJ Edgecombe: "Coming into next year a team won't ever leave me open."

"In the regular season I was shooting the ball pretty well. Playoffs come it's a different vibe. Intensity, fire, closeouts are a lot quicker...I'm gonna work, I'm gonna work. That's all I'm gonna do,… pic.twitter.com/Fnh0oLd1hu
— PHLY Sixers (@PHLY_Sixers) May 11, 2026

Edgecombe’s vow is just another reason to get excited for his growth heading into the 2026-27 season and beyond.

The 20-year-old’s ascension was a highlight of Philadelphia’s redemptive campaign. He averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, all of which were top-five marks amongst rookies.

This offseason, Edgecombe is focused rounding out his offensive repertoire and developing his fan-favorite relationship with Maxey.

“I'm just excited to see how this off season's gonna look for me and next year I'm gonna come back better, stronger, faster, more athletic,” Edgecombe said. “Whatever I gotta do, I'm gonna do.”

Edgcombe surpassed expectations

It quickly became clear that Edgecombe was different.

If his crying upon hearing Adam Silver call his name third overall in the 2025 NBA draft wasn’t convincing enough, his regular-season debut was. Edgecombe stormed into TD Garden on October 22 and totaled 34 points, seven boards, and five three-pointers en route to a 117-116 win over the Boston Celtics.

Edgecombe’s defense came as advertised. He's an on-ball pest who can generate turnovers and deflections. He will become an elite defender as he fills out his 180-pound frame and gets more experience.

But his offense was the most impressive aspect of his rookie year, given the pre-draft concerns about his three-point shooting and driving ability.

“Whatever I gotta do to get better, make life easier for [Maxey], the rest of my teammates, take some of the pressure, some of the load offensively off of them,” Edgecombe said Sunday. “And defensively I'm gonna keep getting better. Keep learning, you know? For the rest of my career, I want to go out and go guard whoever I have to go guard.”

Edgecombe shot 35.4% from beyond the arc on 5.6 attempts, a 1.4 percentage-point increase and one more attempt per game than his lone season at Baylor—not bad for a rookie. While the 20-year-old endured hot and cold stretches, he was largely a reliable spot-up threat during the regular season.

However, that dipped in the playoffs. Edgecombe shot only 29.2% from deep, and both Boston and New York frequently left him unguarded to provide help defense elsewhere.

Despite that, Edgcombe made strides as a three-level scorer overall. He showcased mid-range pull-up shooting, athletic finishes and electric transition scoring to go with his improved three-point shooting. The rookie was able to stretch his wings following his Bears stint, as Baylor head coach Scott Drew famously facilitates a three-point-heavy offense.

But Edgecombe still feels he has much room to grow. He told reporters Sunday that he wants to polish his on-ball creation from all three levels and spot-up shooting.

Improving those skills would help alleviate Maxey's ball-handling burden, which Edgecombe noted Sunday. The Knicks hounded Maxey, frequently trapping him out of pick-and-rolls, and limited him to only 18.3 points on 43.3% shooting in the series.

The Sixers have their backcourt

Despite the disappointing end to their 2025-26 campaign, Maxey and Edgecombe’s bond on and off the floor has been a breath of fresh air for the fans. They have pushed each other to improve, between Edgecombe being one of few players to attend one of Maxey’s 5 a.m. workouts last summer to the two yelling at each other during a timeout in January.

The rookie plans to work out with Maxey during the summer, and their relationship will only continue to grow.

“From day one before I even knew I was getting drafted there, [Maxey] was, he was the one there,” Edgecombe said. “He welcomed me to open arms. I've been just learning from him since, since then, just trying to keep building that relationship, keep building that chemistry.”

Edgecombe’s second-year leap will make life much easier for the Sixers on both ends of the court. He has embodied everything Philadelphia desires from its star players, from resilience to showing up in big-time moments.

The Sixers’ legitimacy as championship contenders in the next few years remains unclear, but Edgecombe will make sure they will not fall out of the equation entirely.

Don’t take it from us, though. Take it from Joel Embiid.

“Philly got a good one in him. He's the guy. I'm telling you guys, [Edgecombe] is something different and this was only year one,” Embiid told reporters on Sunday. “Year 2 is gonna be better. Year 3, even better. He has a chance to be extremely special.”

Joel Embiid on VJ Edgecombe
"Philly got a good on in him. He's the guy. I'm telling you guys, [VJ] is something different. And this was only year one. Year 2 is gonna be better. Year 3 even better. He has a chance to be extremely special." pic.twitter.com/lR6y4seWnn
— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) May 10, 2026

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