Few young players get the chance to share the court alongside one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
That opportunity became a reality for VJ Edgecombe after LeBron James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, and the young guard did not hide his excitement while sharing his first reaction to the franchise-altering move.
VJ Edgecombe Opens Up About the Moment He Learned LeBron James Was Joining the 76ers
Philadelphia stunned the NBA by acquiring Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics this offseason.
That blockbuster trade ultimately cleared the path for the 76ers to land James in free agency, as the four-time champion believed Philadelphia offered a better chance to compete for another title than the other teams he was considering.
Before making his decision, James was heavily linked to the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Golden State Warriors. Many viewed the 76ers as a possible destination, but they were not considered the frontrunners throughout most of the offseason.
That made James’ announcement to join Philadelphia all the more surprising.
The unexpected news also surprised Edgecombe, who recently recalled exactly where he was and how he reacted when he learned the 41-year-old was heading to Philadelphia.
“I was working out, so I was on the court,” Edgecombe said. “One of the coaches had on an Apple Watch, which kept going off. He stopped and looked at it, and he was like, ‘Yo, we just got Bron.’ I stopped mid-workout to check my phone if it was real. And then I finished my workout and posted that picture”
VJ Edgecombe shares his reaction to finding out LeBron James is joining the 76ers 🤣 pic.twitter.com/xO1GLs2iOT
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Having shared the floor with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey during his rookie season, Edgecombe will now be surrounded by even more elite talent with the additions of Brown and James.
The 21-year-old is eager to absorb as much knowledge as possible from the decorated veterans around him.
“To me, he’s [James] the greatest of all time, so now we’ve got him, JB, Jo, Rese, it’s a squad. I’m just excited to learn.”
The 76ers’ young star delivered impressive production last season, averaging 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 75 games, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting behind Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel.
Interestingly, the arrivals of Brown and James have sparked speculation about Edgecombe’s role moving forward. Former 76ers player Kwame Brown claimed on his Bust Life podcast that the young guard could be in trouble.
However, James’ agent, Rich Paul, offered a completely different perspective during the Game Over podcast. Paul argued that Edgecombe may actually benefit from the 41-year-old’s arrival.
