VJ Edgecombe was one of the brightest talents to come out of college in this year’s NBA Draft. He played for the Baylor Bears in college and averaged 15 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He shot 34% from behind the arc and led Baylor to a 24-11 record. Edgecombe became the third overall pick in the NBA Draft for Philadelphia, and his debut was a special one.
Edgecombe took little time to adapt to the big league. It was a historical debut in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 117-116 win over the Boston Celtics. He not only broke LeBron James’ record but also rivaled the late Wilt Chamberlain.
The former Baylor star dropped 14 points in the first 12 minutes, breaking James’ 20-year-old record. LeBron scored 12 points in the early minutes of his Cavs’ debut in 2003. Edgecombe ended up with 34 points, which is the most points for a rookie on his debut since Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 points in 1959.
On the national morning show “Good Morning America,” the 20-year-old talked about his memorable debut and how he handled the nerves during the game. Host Lara Spencer mentioned how he scored the most points (34) after Chamberlain’s 43 decades ago. She asked how that sounded to him.
A cool VJ Edgecombe answered:
“It sounds great. It sounds great just to be in conversations with Wilt Chamberlain. So yeah, it’s amazing.”
He then revealed what was going on in his mind during his big night, saying:
“It was more like just having fun. That’s what it was. I just have fun playing basketball. So that’s what helped me get over the nerves. But then when the crowd started to get into it, that’s when I really started to kick in some more.”
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Edgecombe pointed out how the NBA is different from college basketball, mentioning “grown men’s” athleticism, spacing on the floor, and quick decision-making as a few of the factors.
Fans React to VJ Edgecombe’s Historic Debut
Breaking one of LeBron James’ records on debut in the NBA is certainly special. Fans online appreciated how VJ Edgecombe turned up.
“Man i can’t believe we have players like him and maxey on the team. incredible future ahead,” one Philadelphia 76ers fan said.
“Bro is already on national morning shows. We are so back,” one fan appreciated the young man.
“It’s been a rough month in Philly sports, we needed this!” one fan mentioned.
“Wow. We’re so happy to have him in Philly,” one 76ers fan replied.
“The biggest smile,” one fan showed love.
“Love this smile,” another fan appreciated his positivity.
“VJ on GMA?! Gotta call my mom real quick, we are so back,” another said.
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