Sixers’ VJ Edgecombe selected to compete in Rising Stars Challenge
The rookie shooting guard has been expected to take part in the event during NBA All-Star Weekend since the beginning of his breakout season.
It was no surprise that VJ Edgecombe was chosen Monday to play in the Rising Stars Challenge as part of NBA All-Star Weekend.
The event will showcase some of the league’s top first- and second-year players along with premier NBA G-League talent in a mini-tournament, with four teams playing three games on Feb. 13 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
The 76ers’ rookie shooting guard has been expected to take part in the event since the beginning of his breakout season. His selection was made official Monday on Peacock before the tipoff of the nationally televised game between the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers.
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The selected NBA players will be drafted onto three teams at 7 p.m. Tuesday on Peacock, while the fourth team will be composed of G League players.
The other rookie selections are Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs), Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies), Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards), Egor Dёmin (Brooklyn Nets), Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets), Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans), Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors), Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks), and Derik Queen (Pelicans).
Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Stephon Castle (Spurs), Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets), Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers), Cam Spencer (Grizzlies), Kyshawn George (Wizards), Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland Cavaliers), Ajay Mitchell (Oklahoma City Thunder), Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat), and Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies) are the second-year players selected.
Meanwhile, the G-League selections are Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics), Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars), Alijah Martin (Raptors 905), Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers), David Jones Garcia (Austin Spurs), Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix), and Yanic Konan Niederhauser (San Diego Clippers).
Edgecombe, who was selected third in June’s NBA draft, has been one of the league’s top rookies.
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On opening night, the 20-year-old produced 34 points on 13-for-26 shooting to go with seven rebounds in the Sixers’ 117-116 victory over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. It was the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 on Nov. 30, 1954. He also has had two game-winning baskets. The first one came Dec. 4 against the Golden State Warriors at Xfinity Mobile Arena. He scored a putback with 0.9 seconds left after Golden State’s De’Anthony Melton blocked Tyrese Maxey’s shot.
After that play, Maxey blocked Melton’s layup attempt at the buzzer, enabling the Sixers to escape with a 99-98 victory. But Edgecombe set the play in motion because he was in the right place at the right time.
The second winning basket came when Edgecombe buried a 25-foot three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in overtime to give the Sixers a 139-136 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 30 at FedExForum.
The Bahamian was averaging 15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.5 steals heading into Monday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center.