VJ Edgecombe is making his presence felt-and then some.
VJ Edgecombe DRILLS the game winning bucket to send Team Vince to the Castrol Rising Stars Championship Game 🔥
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 14, 2026
pic.twitter.com/qbhisZGDs6
The Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard delivered the game-winner to push Team Vince past Team T-Mac, 41-36, in the Rising Stars showcase at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Friday night. In a format built for flash and speed, Edgecombe’s clutch jumper sealed the deal and booked Team Vince a spot in the final against Team Melo.
It was fitting that Edgecombe hit the decisive shot. Not just because he was one of the most dynamic players on the floor, but because he did it for a team coached by Vince Carter-one of the very legends who helped shape the kind of high-flying, high-octane basketball that Edgecombe thrives in.
Before the game, Edgecombe showed love to his coach in a way that turned heads: he rocked a shirt featuring Carter himself. “After he drafted me, I remembered [the shirt],” Edgecombe said.
“I had the shirt before he picked me though. I was just, like, why not wear it?
Show love to the coach, man. To the OG.”
“Show love to the coach, man. The OG.”
— NBA (@NBA) February 14, 2026
VJ Edgecombe representing Vince Carter for his arrival fit ‼️@CastrolUSA Rising Stars I 9:00pm/et on Peacock pic.twitter.com/xCWpjvCbhl
That kind of respect runs deep. Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Carmelo Anthony each took the reins of their own Rising Stars squads, while former NBA guard Austin Rivers coached a team of G League standouts. But it’s Carter’s squad that now finds itself one win away from the trophy-and Edgecombe is right at the center of it.
Next up: a showdown with Team Melo, who advanced thanks to a game-winner from San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper. The championship game will be played under a race-to-25 format, putting a premium on quick buckets and crunch-time composure.
That suits Edgecombe just fine.
At just 20 years old, he’s already earned a reputation as a blur in transition and a fearless finisher at the rim. His chemistry with Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia has been electric-two guards who play with pace, energy, and a touch of chaos that defenses struggle to contain. Watching them share the backcourt is like watching two accelerators work in perfect sync.
Edgecombe’s athleticism and flair are tailor-made for a stage like Rising Stars. And while the moment belonged to him Friday night, there was a little bit of Carter in the air, too. After all, Carter had his own share of battles with the Sixers back in the day-most notably during a heated 2001 conference finals series that still echoes in Philly lore.
Now, Edgecombe’s writing his own chapter. And if Friday was any indication, the story’s just getting started.