Philadelphia 76ers V.J. Edgecombe has emerged as the NBA’s top rookie through the first two weeks of the season. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)
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It’s not a stretch to say that Philadelphia 76ers standout V.J. Edgecombe has been the most impressive rookie through the first two weeks of the season.
The third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has emerged as one of the leading players of a stacked Sixers squad that features a number of notable veterans and rookies. Edgecombe is averaging 20.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game on an efficient 49.5% from the field and 41.2% from beyond the arc.
Edgecombe leads all rookies in points per game and it’s not even close. The rookie with the second-highest scoring average is Memphis Grizzlies guard Cedric Coward with 15.0 points per game.
That ridiculously strong start has led to the Sixers starting out the season with a 5-1 record, which is the best mark in the Eastern Conference through Sunday.
Edgecombe’s agent, Thad Foucher of Wasserman, explains what makes the 20-year-old unique from other rookies in his draft class.
“His personality is different from anybody that I’ve been around,” says Foucher of Edgecombe in a one-on-one interview. “I think his work ethic, his athleticism, his seriousness about the game reminds me of Russell Westbrook, because I had him early on in his career. Russell will not allow himself to fail, and V.J. is the same way. He will will himself into positive situations just like Russell did.”
Through the early portion of the season, Edgecombe has established himself as the Sixers’ second-leading scorer behind Tyrese Maxey. In fact, Maxey and Edgecombe have established themselves as the league’s most lethal scoring duo at the guard position, averaging a combined 54.0 points per game.
The Sixers have emerged as the best team in the conference behind the play of Maxey and Edgecombe, despite a minutes restriction on former NBA MVP Joel Embiid and the absence of Paul George, who has yet to make his season debut.
Foucher has represented Edgecombe since the second half of his lone year at Baylor last year. While Edgecombe was highly regarded coming out of high school – he was a five-star prospect – not many observers expected him to emerge as one of the Rookie of the Year favorites alongside top pick and Duke Blue Devils standout, Cooper Flagg.
Edgecombe’s agent is a veteran himself, having first notably served as a consultant with Adidas back in the 90’s when they signed a young Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady when they entered the NBA. He has been involved with some of the top basketball stars over the past 26 years and currently represents notable stars such as Stephon Castle and Evan Mobley – the reigning Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
Why V.J. Edgecombe Chose Wasserman And Thad Foucher To Represent Him
The Sixers rookie says the reason he decided to pair up with Foucher and Wasserman is their honesty and ability to keep it “real.” Wasserman was ranked the second most valuable sports agency by Forbes.
“They have really a well-respected background with players, so that definitely played a part in it,” says Edgecombe of choosing Wasserman as his sports agency. “Just building relationships overall, kept it real with me, they kept it real with me the whole time. That was the main thing, I was able to sit down, talk to him, build trust. He’s an old-school guy, someone that’s highly respected. He’s a man of his word, does his work really well. That was something I needed in my corner.”
Wasserman, which has previously represented major names such as Derrick Rose, is obviously one of the most well-known names in the industry. Foucher details that the camaraderie and the fact that all of the agents have a background in playing sports is what separates it from other agencies.
He also mentions perhaps the biggest reason why Wasserman stands out – they prepare their players to play.
“The most important thing we do is really prepare these guys to play,” says Foucher. “It’s interesting that people around the league understand that. The Oklahoma City Thunder brought the entire team to our gym to work out against our guys, because they knew we had a level of guys. They knew the structure in which our gym was organized, and they brought the entire team out and we scrimmaged against their team for a week. The Cleveland Cavaliers did it this year. It’s starting to be a trend that teams understand what we do, the level of players that we have in the gym, the development of our players, and they want to get their guys in the gym playing against high-level players. They feel that the structure in which we do things is what they want to be a part of as well.”
Thad Foucher Details Why V.J. Edgecombe Could Emerge As Best Player In 2025 NBA Draft Class
Foucher details why Edgecombe could emerge as the best player in this class when it’s all said and done.
“Everybody knows who the best players are in college basketball, and I think he could be the best player in this class when it’s all said and done,” says Foucher of Edgecombe. “I know Cooper’s in this class, and I’m not saying anything derogatory about him, but I kind of understand what really resonates at the next level. A guy like V.J. really resonates at the next level — his athleticism, his ball skills, he will become a much better shooter, just like everybody once they get a feel what the NBA is all about and once they get a chance to really work on their craft. But he has all the tools and the measurables to be an unbelievable player at the next level.”
The most impressive trait about Edgecombe when you speak to him is his maturity. His level of maturity when you speak to him is far more advanced than your typical NBA rookie, especially most first-year American players.
Foucher explains that a lot of that has to do with upbringing and culture, with Edgecombe having grown up in Bimini, Bahamas. He didn’t migrate to the United States until the ninth grade.
“Let’s talk about his maturity, I don’t think that’s a mistake,” says Foucher of Edgecombe. “I went down to Bimini, where he’s from, and the island is totally different than what we’ve seen any place in the States. Everybody down in that island communicates with each other. You don’t find people stuck to their cell phones, you don’t find people inside all the time. Everybody’s in the street, everybody is communicating, everybody in neighborhood knows each other – everybody in the barbershop, the grocery store. It is what America used to be 50 years ago. It’s what it is down there.
His communication skills and his ability to connect with others is far beyond your typical first-year player, which is likely a huge reason why he’s excelling off the bat. Edgecombe’s debut game saw him score 34 points, the most in a player’s debut since Wilt Chamberlain scored 43 points in his first game back in 1959.
“His ability to communicate, his ability to be able to talk to people, not just his peers — people in the neighborhood, older people,” says Foucher of Edgecombe’s best trait. “He’s pulled a lot of that from everybody down there. That’s why when you talk to him, he seems like he’s such a mature guy. He is, because he’s had that experience unlike a lot of our American players. Everybody’s on their phone, nobody is outside. Down there, it’s totally different. That’s really helped him as far as his maturity is concerned.”
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/djsiddiqi/2025/11/03/philadelphia-76ers-rookie-standout-vj-edgecombes-agent-details-the-key-to-his-success/
