VJ Edgecombe is getting a front-row seat to something he grew up only imagining: sharing a starting lineup with LeBron James.
That reality would have sounded far-fetched just a year ago. It sounds even bigger when you consider Edgecombe’s path to the league. He was born in 2005, two years after James entered the NBA, and like plenty of young players, he spent his childhood learning the game by watching stars who shaped the era before him.
For Edgecombe, that meant James was always part of the basketball landscape. Growing up in The Bahamas, he regularly watched the Miami Heat and looked up to Dwyane Wade, which also meant he saw a lot of LeBron during the Heatles years. Edgecombe was still young from 2010 to 2014, but those seasons stuck with him.
Wade was the player he modeled his own game after, but James has long held a different kind of place in Edgecombe’s mind. LeBron has been a superstar for his entire life, and now Edgecombe gets to see that up close as a teammate of the four-time Finals MVP.
When he learned James was joining the 76ers, Edgecombe didn’t try to hide how thrilled he was. He said the private reaction was one thing, but the conversation itself required a little self-control.
"It's amazing. I FaceTimed Bron; I was in disbelief.
I had to act cool; I had to act like I've been there before. I'm on the phone, all cool, and stuff.
I had headphones on, playing the game, you know what I'm saying? Had to act cool, but it was Bron; I was geeking," Edgecombe said about his FaceTime call with James to Overtime.
There’s already a storyline floating around about Edgecombe possibly being the odd man out on this new 76ers team. But from the way he’s talking, he sounds ready for the challenge - and ready to learn from James and Jaylen Brown while showing he belongs among the league’s most promising young players.
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V.J. Edgecombe's LeBron Reaction Sums Up The New-Look 76ers
V.J. Edgecombe got a quick introduction to what life around a remodeled 76ers locker room can feel like, and his reaction said plenty. During a video call, the young guard talked about how excited he was to become teammates with LeBron James, even if he tried to keep his composure in the moment. It was the kind of honest, human response that fits the early mood around a roster that suddenly looks very different from the one Philadelphia fans were used to seeing.
The broader picture is what makes Edgecombes reaction resonate. The 76ers have stacked their group with marquee talent, adding names like Jaylen Brown and LeBron James to a core that still includes Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. For a newcomer like Edgecombe, the chance to join that mix comes with obvious buzz, and the only thing left hanging is how all of that star power will actually fit together once the season starts to demand answers. [Read more 🡒]
Dean Wade Could Be The 76ers Piece That Changes Everything
The 76ers added another intriguing layer to their offseason by signing Dean Wade to a four-year contract, a move that signals real intent to deepen the rotation around their star core. Wade is expected to come off the bench and give Philadelphia a more flexible option on both ends, with the kind of defensive versatility and spot-up shooting that can quietly smooth out the edges of a contender.
What makes the signing especially interesting is the fit within a roster built to win now. Wade also brings passing that can help keep the offense moving when the stars sit or draw extra attention, and the team clearly sees him as more than a depth piece. His exact role is still being sorted out, but Philadelphia is banking on him as a meaningful contributor in its championship chase. [Read more 🡒]