The Philadelphia 76ers selected Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe with the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25, 2025. The 2025-26 NBA season will begin in October, and discussion around the Rookie of the Year race has already started. Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick, has been identified as the early favorite.
ESPN’s Kevin Pelton stated that Flagg is in a favorable position because the Mavericks are competitive and will not need him to handle every responsibility. Pelton also said that San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper, the No. 2 pick, is behind De’Aaron Fox at point guard, and that Edgecombe joined the 76ers, a team with multiple guards and playoff ambitions. He wrote that there could be a path for Edgecombe if Philadelphia decides to focus on retaining its top-four protected draft pick, which otherwise would be sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder, instead of concentrating solely on returning to the playoffs.
The 76ers’ backcourt includes Tyrese Maxey, an All-Star; Jared McCain, who was considered an early Rookie of the Year candidate in the 2024-25 season before a season-ending meniscus injury; and Quentin Grimes, a restricted free agent who averaged 21.9 points per game in 28 games for Philadelphia after the 2025 trade deadline. Edgecombe averaged 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game in his one season at Baylor. On March 23, 2025, during the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, he reacted after a play as Duke center Khaman Maluach looked on.
Betting markets have adjusted since the draft. Immediately after the draft, DraftKings listed Edgecombe at +2200 for Rookie of the Year, and FanDuel and BetMGM listed him at +2500. As of August 20, 2025, FanDuel lists him at +1300, fourth among candidates behind Flagg (−185), Tre Johnson of the Washington Wizards (+800), and Harper (+1000). Ace Bailey of the Utah Jazz is at +1500, and Kon Knueppel of the Milwaukee Bucks is at +3500. BetMGM has Philadelphia at +4000 to win the 2026 NBA championship and +1300 to win the Eastern Conference. DraftKings set the team’s win total at 43.5 in July 2025, while BetMGM lists it at 42.5. Futures markets have placed the Sixers between +3300 and +4500 to win the championship.
Team updates have also influenced the betting market. Joel Embiid played 19 games in the 2024-25 season, and his training camp availability is still uncertain. Philadelphia re-signed Eric Gordon on July 1, 2025. Gordon, who debuted in the NBA in 2008, is entering his 18th season and will turn 37 in December. Edgecombe previously played with Gordon on the Bahamian National Team. He has joked about Gordon’s age, but said that having someone familiar on the roster can help him. Edgecombe was born in 2005, three years before Gordon’s rookie season.
Alongside Embiid and Gordon, the 76ers’ roster includes Paul George and Tyrese Maxey. The franchise finished the 2024-25 season with a 24-58 record. The organization expects to compete for a playoff spot in 2025-26 if Embiid, George, and Maxey are healthy. Edgecombe is expected to contribute in a supporting role as Philadelphia looks to improve from last season.
