Historic Debut for 76ers Rookie VJ Edgecombe

On Wednesday night, VJ Edgecombe, a rookie with the 76ers, made headlines by achieving a remarkable feat. He scored the most points in an NBA debut in over 65 years.

His 34 points during the team’s narrow 117-116 victory against the Celtics rank as the third highest in NBA debut history. The last player to score more was Wilt Chamberlain, who netted 43 points for the Philadelphia Warriors back on October 24, 1959.

Selected third overall in the June draft, Edgecombe set a new franchise record for scoring in a debut, surpassing Allen Iverson, who tallied 30 points on November 1, 1996.

Interestingly, Edgecombe also outperformed NBA legend LeBron James, whose debut saw him score 14 points in the first quarter—something that puts Edgecombe’s night into perspective.

“Well, he’s a pretty nice guy,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse remarked about Edgecombe’s performance. He emphasized that there were openings for Edgecombe to take shots and mentioned he made some impressive drives. Overall, Nurse felt it was a strong start.

While acknowledging areas for improvement, Nurse regarded the debut as a “great first game performance.” Edgecombe recorded 13-of-26 shooting from the field and 5-of-13 from three-point range, along with seven rebounds and three assists.

After the game, his teammates celebrated by showering him with water during a broadcast interview, marking the significance of his debut. Tyrese Maxey shouted, “This is my debut, 77 years old,” in a lighthearted moment after the dousing.

Edgecombe and Maxey combined for an impressive 74 points, with Maxey leading the scoring with a game-high 40.

Notably, Edgecombe has local connections, as he played his junior and senior seasons of high school basketball at Long Island Lutheran Church. He contributed to his team’s New York State Championship win in his junior year and was recognized as a McDonald’s All-American during his senior year.