Expectations for this year’s 76ers were all over the map entering the 2025–26 NBA season.
In theory, a leading trio of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George is a three-headed monster that can hang with almost anybody in the league. But as Philadelphia found out last year, the injury bug can strike quickly and cruelly. All three stars, along with multiple other key members of the roster, missed significant time last year due to injury; Embiid and George required surgery for their respective ailments. It resulted in a 24–58 finish and a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA draft that turned into VJ Edgecombe, a talented yet raw prospect who was universally viewed as something of a project player. With patience, the tools were there to develop into a legitimate NBA player. But it wouldn’t happen overnight. Between that and the general uncertainty that Embiid and/or George would be consistently available, it was anybody’s guess as to where the Sixers might land in the standings come season’s end.
Three games into the new year, though, it seems the NBA world was wrong about Edgecombe. And that changes everything. Not just for the 76ers, but for Embiid, too.
VJ Edgecombe’s hot start
Edgecombe has been absolutely scalding to begin his NBA career. The 20-year-old guard out of Baylor scored 34 points in his NBA debut against the Celtics, breaking a franchise record held by Allen Iverson (you may have heard of him). It was the third-highest scoring debut in league history, slotting behind only Wilt Chamberlain and Frank Selvy. To top it off, he stuffed the stat sheet with seven rebounds, three assists and one steal. Not only did Edgecombe put up big numbers, he played a big role in helping Philadelphia stage a double-digit comeback and win on the road.
It was an unbelievable showing by the young player. Even the most talented rookies need an adjustment period when entering the NBA. It’s the best basketball league in the world. It’s hard to jump right into the deep end and play well. Just look at Cooper Flagg, who was hyped as the greatest American prospect since LeBron James and managed only 10 points on 13 shots in his first NBA game. Edgecombe wasn’t supposed to be this kind of player right out of the gate and, generally speaking, rookies are not supposed to be that good off the bat. Yet he was.
It wasn’t a fluke, either. Edgecombe followed that up with 15 points, eight assists, and three steals to secure a narrow win over the Hornets. Then he notched an efficient 26 points on 10-for-17 shooting to go with seven assists, one steal, and one block to beat the Magic (who boasted one of the league’s best defenses last season).
The 76ers do not win those games without Edgecombe. His production combined with Maxey’s is historic; their 186 combined points over the first three games of the year are the most recorded by any backcourt pairing since 1970. Between the two, Philadelphia suddenly finds itself with a pair of lighting-fast, high-scoring guards who are both willing and able to play nearly 40 minutes per game to secure wins.
Why it’s so important for Joel Embiid, 76ers
Edgecombe’s breakout would be significant for any organization. While he’s likely to slow down at some point, his hot start has made it clear that the team found a good player with the No. 3 pick in the draft who will be tied to them for the next five years and likely beyond. That’s an incredibly valuable asset. But for these 76ers in particular, and for their MVP-caliber talent in Embiid, it means even more.
Why? Because this era of Philadelphia basketball has consistently come down to one thing: how healthy is Embiid? The superstar center is an all-consuming force on the court when he’s right, a two-way talent who can dominate the game on both ends. But injuries have always been a problem. Embiid missed his first two seasons entirely due to a foot injury and has consistently missed games since, never hitting the 70 games played mark. In the last two years he has suited up for 58 games combined. Embiid is primarily responsible for the team’s success since he was drafted in 2014 but he’s also been primarily responsible for their struggles to contend because his availability is constantly in question. More problematically, the front office has never managed to put together a good enough roster around him that they can avoid relying heavily on him to win whenever he available.
This entire concept was why team president Daryl Morey gave George a max contract in 2024, even as he was entering his late 30s. George was supposed to help keep his team afloat whenever Embiid couldn’t go, and serve as a perfect mix of complementary skills when the center could join him on the court. But George ran into multiple injury problems on his own during his first season in Philadelphia and has yet to suit up this season as he recovers from knee surgery. Whatever the Sixers thought they were getting in George, they have not gotten it, and it’s now unwise to count on his production with injury questions looming.
In light of that, Embiid’s recovery would be one of the big stories of this NBA season under normal circumstances. Especially because Embiid has barely played. The former MVP is on a minutes restriction to start the year as he recovers from knee surgery, appearing in only two games and getting benched once he hit the 20-minute mark. How he’s looked has been concerning, too; he went 1-for-9 from the floor to open the season in Boston and rarely ventured into the paint, a worrying sight for the 7-footer. Embiid’s second game against Charlotte went much better, but he still didn’t look like his old self.
Without Edgecombe’s emergence, that would result in alarm bells ringing throughout Philadelphia. In the past few years, a hampered Embiid means doom for the Sixers. But Edgecombe’s emergence, it’s become a secondary talking point. Rightfully so given Edgecombe’s production has led to winning.
If this will be the story of the 2025–26 season, then the Sixers will be in a position they haven’t experienced with Embiid on the roster—able to win games without him. They aren’t automatic contenders now, but Edgecombe’s production means coach Nick Nurse won’t need to ride Embiid for 30 minutes on a random October night to beat the Hornets. Instead, he can slowly work his way back while Philly stays afloat in the conference standings. It takes a significant burden off his wide shoulders in a way that can only be beneficial, both in the short and long run. Maybe it doesn’t make a difference. Maybe Embiid will be at full power come playoff time and suddenly the 76ers are a legitimate championship contender. Nobody knows how it’ll turn out right now. But letting him return at his own pace without losses piling up was a difficult task before. It’s a lot easier going forward.
What’s more, Edgecombe represents hope in the case of the worst outcome for Embiid—that, at this point in his career, the injuries are too much to overcome. That he will never again be an MVP candidate or deliver superstar-level production. Even with Maxey in the fold as the next star up, such a development would have set the organization back years. The entire roster is built around Embiid and the $188 million extension he signed in 2024 ensures he will stay with the 76ers for the next three years at least.
Now? Edgecombe is bringing elite production at a rookie salary. If Embiid never gets back to his old self, there is hope in the form of the rookie from Baylor. He represents a realistic chance that the Sixers can still compete and play good basketball despite their very high-priced center lumbering up and down the court, worn down by the wear and tear of basketball. Even if none of it comes to pass the hope Edgecombe brings alters the outlook of the entire franchise.
Sometimes all it takes is one stroke of luck to change everything. It’s early, but it seems the 76ers have found it by drafting Edgecombe. He’s a budding star in Philadelphia and one who fundamentally alters what the organization’s future looks like, both this year and beyond.
