How the Philadelphia 76ers could line up with VJ Edgecombe

The Philadelphia 76ers selected Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Edgecombe is 6-foot-5 and boasts all-world athleticism, making him a prototypical NBA wing with strong offensive and defensive attributes. At 19, it will likely take Edgecombe a few seasons to find his footing in the NBA, but his potential is on par with top prospects of years’ past.

In his freshman season at Baylor, Edgecombe averaged 15 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists on 43.6% FG and 34% 3P in 33 total games. He scored double-digits in all but six games and posted a season-high 30 points against Kansas State on January 22.

In the NCAA Tournament, Edgecombe scored 14 points in Baylor’s round of 64 win over Mississippi State. Going up against No. 1 Duke in the round of 32, Edgecombe logged 16 points (6/12 FG) and six rebounds as the Bears fell 89-66.

Let’s take a look at how the Sixers could line up now that Edgecombe is officially heading to Philly.

Potential 76ers 2025/26 starting lineup and rotation

Starters

• PG Tyrese Maxey

• SG VJ Edgecombe

• SF Kelly Oubre Jr.

• PF Paul George

• C Joel Embiid

Bench

• G Jared McCain

• G Quentin Grimes

• G/F Justin Edwards

• F Guerschon Yabusele

• C Andre Drummond

In an ideal world, the 76ers will have a fully healthy Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Joel Embiid to start the 2025/26 season. All three players missed significant time last season, including 30 games missed for Maxey, 41 for George, and 63 for Embiid.

Without their star-studded core, it’s no surprise that Philly went 24-58 – its fewest wins since 2015/16 – and earned the No. 3 pick.

Here, we have Edgecombe slotting into the starting shooting guard role, where he and Kelly Oubre Jr. can form a fearsome wing duo, along with George, one of the best two-way wings the NBA has seen in the last 15 years.

This position can also be occupied by Jared McCain, the Rookie of the Year frontrunner a year ago before going down with a torn meniscus in December and missing the remainder of the season.

The combo of Maxey and Edgecombe also presents an enticing dynamic, with both players extremely fast, downhill guards capable of creating their own shot and getting to the rim.

Edgecombe is largely expected to be an off-ball guard, so he will likely always share the floor with either Maxey or McCain.

Given the promise McCain showed in his rookie season, it’s easy to imagine a talent like Edgecombe will see similar success, as long as those around him can stay healthy and the Sixers don’t become reliant on him to score, say, 15 points per game.

Not to mention, Philadelphia 76ers general manager Daryl Morey has a pretty good record of selecting guards in the NBA Draft, including Maxey (2020), McCain (2024), De’Anthony Melton (2018) and Dillon Brooks (2017).

Most of the time, Morey’s team (Rockets from 2007-2020, 76ers from 2020-present) haven’t picked in the lottery, so this is largely unearthed territory for Morey to draft in.

David Schneidman

• Philadelphia 76ers
• • 
  •