Rookies Clash in Wizards vs. 76ers

Star rookies Tre Johnson and VJ Edgecombe clashed in an early season matchup in what was a relatively underwhelming performance from both of them. Despite their underwhelming performances, the game did not disappoint, as a late game heroics from Tyrese Maxey propelled the 76ers to an overtime win.

Edgecombe finished the game with 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, on 33.3% from the field and 50% from three. Johnson finished the game with just 10 points 2 rebounds and 2 assists on 36.3% from the field and 28.5% from three. The scoring totals for both men are season lows, however they don't tell the full story of the game.

Individual Performances

Edgecombe's night was particularly difficult, largely due to the matchup he drew. Although Johnson did guard him from time to time, the majority of his reps came vs Kyshawn George, who has proven to be an elite perimeter defender thus far. As a result, points and production came as a bit of a challenge for Edgecombe in his fourth career game. Despite his struggles, Edgecombe's floor spacing and defensive prowess kept him on the court down the stretch of the game.

Oct 28, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe (77) shoots the ball over Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) in the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Johnson, on the other hand, battled against his first cold shooting night of his young career. He still commanded the defense's attention at all times because of his shooting gravity, but the shots just weren't falling. Johnson did show a willingness to attack closeouts, trying to force his way downhill, but his developing frame and lack of elite playmaking feel limit his ability as of now.

The Matchup

Despite the hype, Johnson and Edgecombe didn't really match up with each other that much in this contest. Johnson, for the most part, operated with the second unit, versus Edgecombe with the first, preventing the two from sharing the floor with one another very often. In their limited shared minutes not much happened. There wasn't really much back and forth of trading buckets or plays. Rather, both guys stuck to the offensive flow which is an encouraging sign for both of their majority levels.

We have a generational bucket getter on our hands🪣
pic.twitter.com/1gulS2HD53
— TreMuse (@TreJohnson1Muse) October 29, 2025

Rookie of the Year Implications

Because not much happened in their head to head matchup, no real Rookie of the Year odds have changed. Games like this can be used as fuel for future award cases, but when neither guy performs very well, no takeaways can really be made. Both Johnson and Edgecombe have the rest of the season to work out the kinks and their game and build their ROTY cases, making this game minuscule in the long run.

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