Latest news with #VJEdgecombe
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sixers waive ex-Arkansas standout Ricky Council IV after two seasons
Aside from selecting VJ Edgecombe with the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers have had a relatively quiet summer after finishing with a 24-58 record last season. Philadelphia opened up another roster spot Friday, trimming the team down to 13 players. To clear that second-to-last spot, the Sixers waived swingman Ricky Council IV, according to Adam Aaronson of Council's salary for next season was set to become guaranteed Jan. 10, and despite a lackluster sophomore season with Philadelphia, it wouldn't be surprising to see him garner interest on the open market. MORE: Former 76ers guard drawing interest from Golden State in free agency After going undrafted in 2023, the 23-year-old began his NBA career on a two-way contract with the 76ers. However, he was eventually promoted to a four-year, $7.38 million standard deal in April 2024. Council saw inconsistent playing time in the 2024-25 campaign but stepped into a larger role at times due to several injuries to key contributors, especially in the latter half of the year. He averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists across 17.1 minutes per game, though he shot just 38.2 percent from the field and 25.8 percent from three-point range in 73 regular-season appearances. The 6-foot-5 wing will now explore other opportunities in the NBA. Council played his final collegiate season at Arkansas where he earned AP All-SEC Second Team honors while averaging 16.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals across 34.1 minutes per game in 36 outings. MORE NBA NEWS: NBA executive predicts breakout season for ex-Nuggets forward Ex-Bucks star Damian Lillard shares daughter's hilarious reaction to Portland reunion Bucks' blockbuster three-team trade proposal lands $160 million forward Ex-Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic looking to put conditioning concerns to rest Josh Giddey reportedly growing frustrated with Bulls amid contracts talks
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Takeaways from Sixers 41 point loss to Spurs in Las Vegas opener
The Sixers opened their Las Vegas play at the 2K26 summer league falling flat to the San Antonio Spurs 111- 70. Sixers fans were frightened by last night's news that VJ Edgecombe was ruled out for tonight's matchup with a thumb sprain. According to PHLY's Kyle Neubeck & Derek Bodner, who are currently in Las Vegas, Edgecombe was getting shots up in practice and appeared unbothered by the sprain. Concerns should be further quelled as the third overall pick joined ESPN's Katie George for an interview during the second quarter. Edgecombe said he is hopeful he will play in Vegas after being reevaluated on Saturday. Check out the post below for the full interview. 'I was ready to go hoop,' Edgecombe on his 28-point summer league debut. This game was a bloodbath from the start. The Sixers were down 18-4 after six minutes with only one made shot. That shot was a Justin Edwards three, and it was one of only two shots he would make the whole game, on only six attempts. Despite having a solid outing to close out play in Salt Lake, he would not carry any momentum into tonight. He finished with six points off of two threes, one rebound and three turnovers, looking disinterested to match the intensity displayed by the Spurs early on. Not to be unfair to Edwards, as everyone on the roster appeared jet-lagged until the second quarter. Adem Bona displayed his athleticism, holding his own defending on the perimeter, being trusted as the point man in a zone defense, and going coast-to-coast himself to finish a contested layup in transition. He would have a similar transition play in the fourth quarter, but off of a dime from Judah Mintz and finishing with a violent slam. Bona would finish with six points, five rebounds, two blocks, a steal, and only four fouls. Sixers newest signing Dominick Barlow also played a part in changing the tone in the second half, bulldozing Spurs forward Riley Minix and finishing for two. He made three of his five shots, did not attempt any threes, and tacked on five rebounds. Keve Aluma led the team in scoring with 12, but it was St. Peter's Prep product Mark Armstrong (10 points) who lit a spark off the bench, showcasing shot creation and movement shooting for a squad that desperately needed it. Spurs forward David Jones-Garcia continued his hot summer league start and set the tone for them physically. He finished with a game-high 24 points, efficiently making nine of his 12 shots. This happens to be the same 'David Jones' Sixers fans may remember from last year's summer league roster. There just may have been some bad blood. The Sixers will be back in action in Vegas against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. More from Liberty Links: Jayson Tatum should not be a top-five pick in 2017 NBA Draft Sixers Tinder: Shawn Long and Alex Poythress will be forgotten Markelle Fultz could be the icing on the Sixers' cake Sixers Mailbag: Would you trade Dario Saric in a package to acquire the No. 1 pick? Brett Brown highlights list of keepers from 2016-17 Sixers Ben Simmons says he worked on his shot while out for the year Liberty Links: More than half of ESPN writers pick Joel Embiid for Rookie of the Year
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Takeaways from Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe in the summer league
The summer league is over for the Philadelphia 76ers after Friday's win over the Brooklyn Nets in Las Vegas. The Sixers played eight games in total--three in Salt Lake City and five in Vegas--and their attention now turns to making sure they lock up Quentin Grimes as well as preparing for the 2025-26 season. Prized rookie VJ Edgecombe--the No. 3 pick of the 2025 draft--was only able to play in two of those games as he dealt with a left thumb sprain. He played in the summer league opener against the Utah Jazz and delivered a terrific performance of 28 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks, and then another solid performance in Vegas of 15 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. So what are the biggest takeaways for Edgecombe? Let's dive into it: The shooting needs work This isn't necessarily a new thing. The shot was always a question mark leading into the draft, but Edgecombe shot 2-for-12 on 3-pointers in the two summer league games. Granted, he had to handle the ball a lot in those games as the summer Sixers didn't exactly have a reliable ball-handler. One has to believe he will be able to focus on just catch-and-shoot opportunities playing next to Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George when the real games begin. However, 2-for-12 is still 2-for-12 so the 3-pointer certainly needs a little bit of work. What are his NBA comparisons? Seeing Edgecombe in person at practice while Sixers Wire was in Las Vegas and then watching his games on TV, there are two names that come to mind when watching him: Victor Oladipo and Dwyane Wade. The athleticism that Edgecombe brings to the table is marvelous. The way he can finish up and around taller defenders is impressive and when one combines that with the speed he has when handling the basketball? Along with the defensive prowess he did show in the two games he played? Yes. Oladipo and Wade come to mind when watching Edgecombe. How can he help right now? One has to believe that Edgecombe will play right away as a rookie. Maybe not as a starter. Grimes will probably be the starting 2-guard alongside Maxey, Embiid, George, and either Kelly Oubre Jr. or Jared McCain depending on what coach Nick Nurse wants to do. With that being said, Edgecombe is going to receive regular minutes and he can help the Sixers right now with his speed, athleticism, and ability to make winning plays despite not shooting his best. Yes, he shot just 4-for-14 in the Vegas game against the Washington Wizards, but he shot 6-for-6 from the line as he was tough to stop when getting to the basket. He can help the Sixers by providing a spark off the bench for Philadelphia moving forward. This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Takeaways from Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe in the summer league
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
3 observations after Sixers top Nets in their summer league finale
3 observations after Sixers top Nets in their summer league finale originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia The Sixers wrapped up their 2025 summer league on a winning note Friday night. With an 87-83 victory over the Nets, the Sixers concluded their Las Vegas play at 3-2. The team went 1-2 in the Salt Lake City summer league. Mark Armstrong scored 23 points and Judah Mintz tallied 20. Several of the Sixers' 2025 top summer league players watched from the bench, including VJ Edgecombe, Johni Broome, Adem Bona and Justin Edwards. Here are observations on the Sixers' summer league finale: The Sixers' two Vegas constants The Sixers started a lineup of Mintz, Hunter Salis, Jalen Slawson, Keve Aluma and Izan Almansa. Aluma and Mintz were the only Sixers to play in all five of the team's Vegas games. Mintz drove hard, absorbed contact and converted an and-one layup in the first quarter. Mintz's foul drawing is a legitimately impressive skill. He shot 8.0 free throws per game (29 for 40 total) in Las Vegas action. The 22-year-old guard averaged 14.0 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds. Aluma posted 10.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest. Stellar finish to Armstrong's summer The Nets took a double-digit lead with a run late in the first quarter against the Sixers' bench. Coming off of a 22-point outing Wednesday night vs. the Mavs, Armstrong forced a few shots and struggled in his opening stint. For his first hoop, Armstrong delivered a second-quarter highlight slam. The Sixers played effective zone defense in the second period and erased their deficit. Armstrong hit a difficult baseline runner with 13.6 seconds left in the first half to put the Sixers up 43-42. He stayed hot in the third quarter and again had a good overall game. Credit to the 21-year-old rookie for closing his summer in strong fashion after an 0-for-7 performance in the Sixers' Salt Lake City opener. Defense holds up with three-guard unit Slawson had a subpar offensive game (1 for 4 from the field, five turnovers), but the 25-year-old forward's hustle and eagerness to do dirty work stood out. Slawson grabbed 10 rebounds and had four blocks and three steals. He sunk two late free throws to ice the win, too. Brooklyn briefly regained the lead in the fourth quarter, but the Sixers' closing three-guard lineup with Mintz, Armstrong and Sallis defended well. By summer league standards, the Sixers generally left the right players open, helped each other out and showed sound fundamentals. Armstrong broke an 83-all tie by knocking down two foul shots with 36.0 seconds remaining and the Sixers managed to see their final Vegas victory through.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sixers vs. Nets summer league: How to watch, lineups, broadcast info
The Philadelphia 76ers will finish up the summer league in Las Vegas on Friday when they take on the Brooklyn Nets, and if you're wondering how you can watch all the action live, you've come to the right place. The Sixers will be looking to finish up the summer strong before turning their attention to rest and relaxation before the season begins in October. One has to wonder if the Sixers will see rookie guard VJ Edgecombe on Friday. The No. 3 overall pick has been limited to only two games this summer--one in Salt Lake City and one in Las Vegas--as he has been dealing with a left thumb sprain. Either way, the Sixers have to feel that they have seen enough of Edgecombe to know that he is going to be OK in the league. The team's other rookie, Johni Broome, has had some terrific moments and he will be looking to end on a high note. Here's when and where you should tune in to see the matchup: How to watch Date: Friday, July 18 Time: 6 p.m. EDT Location: Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas, NV Channel: NBATV, NBC Sports Philadelphia+ What happened in the last summer league game for the Sixers? The Sixers were able to knock off the Dallas Mavericks 90-82 on Wednesday led by a strong effort from Broome who had 22 points and 13 rebounds. Guard Mark Armstrong also had 22 points in a good effort while Keve Aluma scored 12 of his 17 in the second half. The Sixers will look to end the summer league on a good note against the Nets. Probable starting lineups Philadelphia 76ers Guard - Hunter Sallis Guard - Judah Mintz Forward - Keve Aluma Forward - Izan Almansa Center - Johni Broome Brooklyn Nets Guard - Egor Demin Guard - TJ Bamba Forward - Caleb Daniels Forward - Danny Wolf Center - Grant Nelson This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers vs. Nets summer league: How to watch, lineups, broadcast info
