Why V.J. Edgecombe is Your Rookie of the Year: VJ’s ROTY Case
Its fitting that the most electric player on the floor for the Philadelphia 76ers this season grew up without electricity and lived off of a generator for seven years: Why the burgeoning Sixers star is the future of Philly basketball, and why his performance and statistics should at minimum make you consider if he should be NBA’s Rookie of the Year…
V.J. Edgecombe can do it all. He’s a passer and a scorer. He’s both a spot-up shooter and a driver. He’s a creative finisher, and a deadly catch-and-shoot threat.
He’s both a defensive nightmare and the 76ers’ offensive generator on Philly’s best nights.
Today, most websites and sportsbooks give the must-watch playmaker the third-best odds to be considered the NBA Rookie of the Year.
Among 2025 rookies so far, V.J. Edgecombe ranks:
- 1st in steals
- 3rd in 3PM (38%)
- 4th in FGM
- 4th in assists
- 4th in PPG
- 6th in rebounds
He’s one of only five rookies who has made more than 200 shots, one of only three rookies who has sunk more than 80 field goals from beyond the arc, and he’s one of just three rookies with at least 50 steals.
Oh, and he’s seventh in blocks too with 19.
The level of effort, veteran-like awareness, creativity, and explosivity Edgecombe displays on a nightly basis is unlike anything we’ve seen out of a 76ers rookie in the modern era, and a welcomed addition to a Sixers team that last year felt completely devoid of dynamic playmakers at times outside of Maxey.
Now, lets start with the comparisons.
Yes, Cooper Flagg, the number one overall pick from this year’s draft leads the ROTY ladder almost universally as of this writing.
But that bitch has a first name of “Cooper”, which is at least -1000% less cool than any first name that’s just initials, especially one with a J.
Additionally, although Cooper does lead all NBA rookies in FGM, his lanky body is too uncoordinated to swish threes like the athletic VJ.
While Cooper misses threes at a clip that would have your family throw him out with the evening trash (28%), VJ hits them at a rate that your grandmother would gladly welcome in for Christmas dinner (38%).
In terms of Kon Knueppel, yes he leads rookies in 3PM with over 140 while no other rookie has cracked the century mark, but in comparison to Edgecombe (55 steals and 19 blocks) this Diary of a Wimpy Kid-looking scarecrow puts in defensive work that your employer would fire you for supporting (just 28 womp womp steals and nine #bigoof blocks).
When you consider VJ’s stats, Knueppel couldn’t get a steal or block even if the ball smashed him directly in the face hard enough to break his nose.
Finally, is it Knueppel or Flagg who is the only rookie with 500+ points, 50+ steals, 10+ blocks, and 80+ 3PM?
Nope. That would be the incomparable, the magnificent, the electric V.J. Edgecombe.
Regardless of if he is able to contend with the likes of Flagg and Kneuppel enough to win the NBA’s ROTY award, Edgecombe has already proven that he is the future of basketball in Philadelphia.
Rookies aside, V.J. Edgecombe hustles with active hands on both ends of the court and impressively leads the NBA in total loose balls recovered and ranks eighth in deflections per game.
In terms of 76ers per-game averages, Edgecombe ranks:
- 2nd to only Maxey in ASTs
- 2nd to only Maxey in STLs
- 3rd in REBs (5.3)
- 4th in PPG (15.7)
- 4th in AST/TO ratio
On the Sixers’ best nights and during their most significant and encouraging wins, the key differentiating factor is V.J. Edgecombe.
When Edgecombe has at least 20 points this season, the 76ers have a winning percentage of 80% (per Statmuse).
Meanwhile the Mavs only have a winning percentage of 61% (yawn) when Flagg scores 20+ and the Hornets only win 38% of the time (disgraceful) when Kon Knueppel puts up at least 20.
Joel Embiid’s prime is evaporating right before our eyes, and Tyrese Maxey scoring 30-50 points is sometimes not enough to will an often Embiid and PG-less Philadelphia team to victory.
If the Philadelphia 76ers want to do anything remotely close to making the playoffs or making a deep run, it will be due to Edgecombe gluing the team together with his elite and underrated play across every square inch of hardwood.
Moreover, beyond 2026, its clear that Edgecombe’s combination of speed, size, basketball IQ, shooting ability, and defensive presence makes him the literal the future of basketball in Philadelphia.
Rest assured, if the Sixers find themselves winning primetime playoff games any time in the next decade, V.J. Edgecombe’s elite performance will be the difference.
And after all, isn’t part of the argument for ROTY, MVP, and most of the awards how valuable that player is to that team and what the team looks like if you take that player away?
In that department, Edgecombe’s impact is obvious, and blows the likes of Pooper Flagg and Kon Nipple out of the water.
