Paul George Is Just As Impressed With VJ Edgecombe As the Rest of Us

VJ Edgecombe is playing far beyond his years in his first NBA playoff series.

VJ Edgecombe and Paul George speak with media after a win vs. the Knicks. | @NBA / Twitter

VJ Edgecombe wasted no time in his rookie season, immediately becoming a key part of the 76ers scoring attack. In his very first NBA game, Edgecombe went off for 34 points, announcing his arrival as a ready-to-roll contributor to a team that needed him to be one.

It took him a bit longer to find his footing in the playoffs—two games, rather than one—but once again his arrival comes at a moment of extreme need for Philadelphia.

In Tuesday’s Game 2 against the Celtics, Edgecombe went off for 30 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals. He did his greatest damage from distance, shooting 6-of-10 from beyond the arc including several clutch threes that added distance to the Sixers’ lead just as the Celtics came within striking distance.

Edgecombe looked calm, cool and collected throughout the night, going so far as to throw a wink at the camera after one of his makes.

VJ hit a 3 and winked at the camera 😂👏 https://t.co/HArblH8ywF pic.twitter.com/Mzr2lTNeo7

— NBA (@NBA) April 22, 2026

While it might not be a total surprise that Edgecombe had the game he had—as we established, he’s already proven himself a scorer at the pro level—it’s still quite impressive, both to fans and Edgecombe’s teammates alike.

After the game, Edgecombe sat at the podium with veteran teammate Paul George. When a reporter informed the pair that Edgecombe had just become the youngest player to ever post a 30–10 game in the postseason, George looked over with nod.

“You did that?” George asked, with Edgecombe smiling and nodding along playfully. The two eventually burst out laughing.

PG to VJ: "You did that?!"

After finding out that his teammate, VJ Edgecombe, became the youngest player in NBA HISTORY to total 30+ PTS and 10+ REB in a postseason game (and first rookie since Tim Duncan to accomplish this feat), PG was nothing but impressed! https://t.co/QVukeXCYub pic.twitter.com/wp3aWUxmLQ

— NBA (@NBA) April 22, 2026

But after sharing the moment, George offered real praise for the rookie.

“He’s been impressive all season long,” George said. “When you think about how he started his first NBA game, here in this building, I’m sure he was in a small percentage or small group of players that did what he did on that opening night. To put a whole season together and get to this point where he’s showcasing who he is and his ability, I’ve been saying it all year long. He’s far past a rookie.”

Edgecombe’s earlier than expected arrival has been a boon for a Sixers team in desperate need of one

VJ Edgecombe immediately cemented himself as one of the 76ers’ best players early in his rookie year. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Any 76ers fan will tell you it sure feels like it’s been a while since a deal or a high draft pick worked out. Aside from Tyrese Maxey’s ascendence, the post-Process era Sixers have largely come up short whenever they attempted to add that one extra piece meant to get them over the hump.

Edgecombe, the fourth pick of last year’s draft, was brought in to be a franchise cornerstone next to Maxey as the team looked to open a next chapter. Still, even the most optimistic of fans likely would not have guessed that he’d start 75 games and average 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per night.

When face of the franchise Joel Embiid was hit with yet another inexplicable malady just before the postseason, it was easy to dismiss Philadelphia’s chances against Boston, and Game 1 of the series looked extremely uncompetitive. But Edgecombe’s breakout in Game 2 was enough to secure the win, and have the Sixers thinking they might be able to hold out long enough for Embiid to make it back out on the court.

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