V. J. Edgecombe

Edgecombe spent his childhood in the Bahamas and moved to the United States with his family when he was in ninth grade. He attended Victory International Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida, for two years before transferring to Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School in New York as a boarding student.

His family has described growing up with limited resources, including relying on a generator for electricity. On the night of the 2025 NBA draft, his mother and brother appeared in an ESPN interview and shared the family's emotional reaction to his selection.

At Long Island Lutheran, Edgecombe averaged 15.5 points, five rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game as a junior while helping the Crusaders win a state championship. He was named New York Gatorade Player of the Year and National Interscholastic Basketball Conference Player of the Year.

As a senior, he averaged 17.3 points, six rebounds, four assists and 2.3 steals per game while leading Long Island Lutheran to a 21-5 record. He was selected for the 2024 McDonald's All-American Boys Game and was rated a consensus five-star recruit. After considering Duke and Kentucky, he committed to Baylor in January 2024.

Edgecombe played one season for Baylor, averaging 15 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 43.8 percent from the field. Baylor head coach Scott Drew praised his intensity, work ethic, discipline and defensive mindset.

He was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year, earned second-team All-Big 12 honors and made the Big 12 All-Freshman Team. After the season, he declared for the 2025 NBA draft and was chosen by the Philadelphia 76ers with the third overall pick, becoming the highest NBA draft pick in Baylor basketball history.

Edgecombe made his NBA debut for the 76ers against the Boston Celtics on October 22, 2025, scoring 34 points with seven rebounds and three assists in a 117-116 victory. His 34 points set a franchise record for the most points in a 76ers player's NBA debut, surpassing Allen Iverson's previous mark of 30.

He recorded his first career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds against the Chicago Bulls. He later scored a career-high 38 points and added 11 assists in a win over the Sacramento Kings.

In the Eastern Conference first round against Boston, Edgecombe posted 30 points and 10 rebounds in Game 2. The performance made him the youngest player in NBA history to record a 30-point, 10-rebound postseason game. He was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.

Edgecombe joined the Bahamas national team for the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Valencia. He averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists across four games.

He scored 20 points in a win over Finland and 21 points in a victory over Poland. In the final against Spain, he recorded 12 points, six rebounds and five assists. He played alongside veteran Bahamian players including Buddy Hield, who had supported him through development camps and became a mentor figure, and Eric Gordon.