VJ Edgecombe finishes third in Rookie of the Year voting as Dallas’ Cooper Flagg wins the award
Edgecombe averaged 16 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals in 75 games, and tied for ninth in the NBA in minutes per game. Charlotte's Kon Knueppel was the award's runner-up.
VJ Edgecombe finished third in voting for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, behind winner Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks and second-place finisher Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets.
Edgecombe, the third overall pick in last summer’s draft, was an immediate starter for a 76ers team that advanced to the first round of the playoffs. He averaged 16 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals in 75 regular-season games, and tied for ninth in the NBA in minutes per game while navigating the league’s grind for the first time. He blended explosive athleticism with an all-around skill set, creating a dynamic backcourt duo with All-Star Tyrese Maxey.
That production and instant impact would often be enough to win the award. But this season’s rookie class was exceptionally strong, resulting in Edgecombe finishing with one second-place vote and 93 third-place votes. Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs finished fourth, and Cedric Coward of the Memphis Grizzlies was fifth.
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Edgecombe also made history during his first season. His 34 points in the Sixers’ opener at Boston set a franchise rookie debut record, and were the most points in an NBA debut since Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 for the Philadelphia Warriors in 1959. Last week, he became the youngest player to record 30 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game in the Sixers’ Game 2 win at the Celtics. The postseason is not part of the voting criteria for NBA awards.
Earlier this season, Edgecombe was named the MVP at the Rising Stars event at All-Star Weekend.
The Sixers, who trail three games to one in their best-of-seven first-round series against the Celtics, must win Tuesday’s Game 5 in Boston to keep their season alive.
