The Philadelphia 76ers have a promising backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. They even have Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes on the bench, which bolsters the backcourt even more. Head coach Nick Nurse has plenty of options in the backcourt, but it appears that Edgecombe has edged the other players to be the long-term partner to Maxey.
76ers fans should be pleased to see this because they have strong chemistry with each other. They resonate with each other, as Maxey immediately took a liking to Edgecombe during the offseason. That is a big deal because the star guards are meshing well on and off the court.
Maxey knows Edgecombe was a top player before the season
Before the season even started, Edgecombe already made a lasting impression on Maxey and the rest of the 76ers. Most NBA fans first got to see Edgecombe during the Draft when the 76ers selected him with the third overall pick.
He tugged on everyone's heartstrings when he was emotional about reaching his NBA dream. Edgecombe and his family once lived off a generator for multiple years, so he made sure to work hard to give himself and his family a good life. That was already impressive, but his competitive drive was apparent during the offseason when he worked with his 76ers teammates.
More: Nick Nurse is glad to see Maxey and Edgecombe thriving together in the backcourt
As one of the 76ers' biggest stars, Maxey has sway in the locker room. He loves challenging his teammates to work out, so they can keep getting better, even when there are no games. Edgecombe immediately made sure to make a strong impression on Maxey and the rest of his teammates ahead of his rookie year.
"He's cold. I don’t want to say cocky, but it’s a good cocky. He was trying to test me. We had a offseason workout, and I said I’ll be there at 6 AM for whoever wanna get busted. He didn't say nothing, Trendon Watford was there... I’m on the court stretching, and at 5:58, I just see VJ Edgecombe walking onto the court," Maxey said about Edgecombe to Austin Rivers.
With that kind of competitiveness, Edgecombe can go a long way in the NBA. He has shown that in his rookie season, as he is averaging 15.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and four assists per game. That is an impressive stat line for a 20-year-old rookie, which bodes well for his long-term future.
He might not win Rookie of the Year over Cooper Flagg or Kon Knuppel, but he is making it a competitive race. Edgecombe has a bright future, and he will not be stopping anytime soon with his approach to the game.
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