Justin Edwards evaluates 2025 rookie class for the Philadelphia 76ers
Justin Edwards evaluates 2025 rookie class for the Philadelphia 76ers
PHILADELPHIA -- The 2024-25 season certainly didn't go as planned for the Philadelphia 76ers--they finished 24-58 in a season they were expected to contend for a title--but there are some positives.
The Sixers saw the emergence of three talented rookies in the 2025. Undrafted Justin Edwards emerged as a rotation player while first-round pick Jared McCain was on his way to being a prime Rookie of the Year candidate before his meniscus tear. Second-round pick Adem Bona also stepped forward and made some big strides.
Edwards, especially, was able to make a big stamp. He averaged 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in the 44 games he played including 26 starts. His production along with McCain and Bona has him excited for the future of the three rookies.
"I feel like we made a lot of progress really," Edwards stated. "We all got the opportunity early. I feel like we we got a lot more work to do to be able to help the team next year, but I feel like we were able to make a lot of the time that we had this year."
Throughout the summer leading into their rookie seasons, the trio played together in the summer league as well as heading out to UCLA and participating in the famed Rico Hines runs in August. That time together helped the youngsters grow and the Sixers benefited from them already having some type of chemistry.
"We kind of clicked early with summer league and being around Rico Hines runs and stuff," Edwards explained. "So that kind of helped us out."
As the offseason continues, one has to believe the emphasis for the Sixers will be to get more out of the three young players and see what they can do on a nightly basis. Edwards, McCain, and Bona all can play a role for Philadelphia if coach Nick Nurse sees fit.
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Compiled by the Associated Press That concludes today's newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you'd like to see, email me at To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Yahoo
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Arkansas head Coach Dave Van Horn celebrates after winning the Super Regional and a trip to the College World Series after beating Tennessee on Sunday, 11-4. (Photo by) Four teams advanced to the 2025 Men's College World Series with a win in Super Regional play Sunday while another fended off elimination and forced a Game 3 for Monday. Arizona defeated North Carolina in a decisive Game 3 in their best-of-3 series while Louisville did the same in its Game 3 victory against Miami. Advertisement Florida State and Oregon State were also tied at 1-1 entering a do-or-die game Sunday evening. Elsewhere in the Super Regionals, Arkansas dispatched defending national champion Tennessee in two games and it's off to Omaha with UCLA, who defeated UTSA in two games. LSU won its opener against West Virginia and will look to close out the series Sunday evening. Coastal Carolina was the first to team to qualify for the MCWS by finishing a sweep of Auburn on Saturday. UCLA 7, UTSA 0 The Bruins are returning to the Men's College World Series for the first time since 2013, when they won the national championship. UCLA finished off a sweep of UTSA in Los Angeles with a 7-0 win. Advertisement RBI singles by Toussaint Bythewood in the fourth inning and Roch Cholowsky in the fifth gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead. The Bruins wouldn't need any more offense than that, but added two runs in the eighth when AJ Salgado scored on a throwing error by Roadrunners catcher Lorenzo Morresi followed by a sacrifice fly from Phoenix Call. UCLA tacked on three additional runs in the ninth on a two-run single by Payton Brennan and RBI groundout from Bythewood. Five UCLA pitchers kept UTSA off the scoreboard, led by starter Landon Stump's four scoreless innings with four hits allowed and five strikeouts. Chris Grothues was credited with the win, allowing no runs over 2 2/3 innings. Arkansas 11, Tennessee 4 The Volunteers will not repeat as national champions after being swept in the Fayetteville Super Regional by the host Razorbacks. After losing Saturday's opener, 4-3, Tennessee felt apart with its season and a return trip to Omaha at stake. Advertisement Arkansas opened up a 7-1 lead with a five-run fourth inning. Logan Maxwell hit a grand slam off AJ Russell, the Vols' third pitcher of the inning. The Razorbacks loaded the bases on singles by Cam Kozeal and Reese Robinett, followed by an intentional walk to Charles Davalan to set up a force play. But Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle allowed a run to score on a wild pitch and Brayden Krenzel hit Wehiwa Aloy with a pitch to load the bases again for Maxwell's big blow. Loading the bases got the Vols in trouble again in the seventh. After a RBI double from Kuhio Aloy, Tennessee pitchers walked four consecutive batters, resulting in another two runs. Altogether, the Vols issued eight walks in the game. Advertisement Tennessee followed up last season's national title with a seventh-place finish in the SEC at 16-14, though finished 46-18 overall. Louisville 3, Miami 2 Eddie King Jr.'s two-out double scored Jake Munroe in the seventh inning to put the Cardinals on top. Jake Schweitzer, Justin West and Brennyn Cutts combined for a scoreless final two innings to put Louisville (40-22) among the eight teams going to Omaha. Ethan Eberle pitched five innings for Louisville, giving up a two-run homer to Max Galvin among his six hits allowed. Schweitzer got the win with three scoreless innings, while Cutts earned the save by retiring the final Hurricanes batter of the game. Advertisement For Miami (35-27), Reese Lumpkin gave up two runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings. But Will Smith was tagged with the loss after allowing King's RBI double. It was only the second hit he allowed in 2 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks. Galvin and Daniel Cuvet each had two hits for Miami. Arizona 4, North Carolina 3 The Wildcats join the Chanticleers in Omaha, defeating the Tar Heels on their home field. Arizona took a 4-3 lead with a three-run eighth inning as its first four batters reached base, helped out by an two throwing errors by UNC. Tommy Splaine first scored on a bunt single from Easton Breyfogle. Brendan Summerhill then walked to load the bases and Mason White drove in two runs with a single. A three-run homer by Jackson Van De Brake gave North Carolina a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning, following consecutive singles from Carter French and Kane Kepley. Arizona starter Smith Bailey was charged with those three runs with five hits allowed, four strikeouts and three walks in six innings. Advertisement Ryan Lynch pitched seven innings for the Tar Heels, allowing three runs (two earned) with five strikeouts. Walker McDuffie took the loss after he allowed the go-ahead run to reach base in the eighth. Murray State 19, Duke 9 The Racers rebounded decisively after losing Saturday's Super Regionals opener to Duke, 7-4. Dom Decker and Will Vierling each drove in four runs, while Dan Tauken had three RBI to send the series to a decisive Game 3 on Monday. Duke took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on back-to-back homers by AJ Gracia and Ben Miller, but Murray State answered in the bottom of the frame with three runs beginning with Jonathan Hogart's leadoff home run. Both teams eventually traded five-run innings, but the Racers blew the game open with a nine-run seventh. The Blue Devils' Kyle Johnson and Racers' Isaac Silva each allowed six runs as starting pitchers. Yet while Jacob Hustedde and Graham Kelham combined to give up another three runs in 3 2/3 innings of relief, Duke's bullpen could not keep Murray State's lineup from lighting up the scoreboard. Seven more pitchers took the mound for the Blue Devils with five of them allowing two or more runs. Gabe Nard and Mark Hindy each gave up three runs in a combined 1 1/3 innings.
