Philadelphia 76ers rookie Vijay Edgecombe laid the historical foundation for his NBA career Wednesday night in his team's 117-116 victory over Boston Celtics. Edgecombe finished with 34 points, seven rebounds and three assists and broke records previously held by LeBron James and Allen Iverson in progress.
Edgecomb, the No. 3 overall pick out of Baylor, broke a 22-year-old record set by James when he scored 14 points in the first quarter. James previously held the record for most first-quarter points in NBA debut when he scored 12 back in 2003. And when Edgecomb scored his 31st and 32nd points with buckets at the 5:37 mark of the fourth quarter, he broke the 76ers' franchise record for points scored in an NBA debut, previously held by Iverson, who scored 30 points in his first game in 1996.
“It was pretty good,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. “Opening night. I think he had some room to shoot. … I think he made some shots. Certainly a great start. He needs a lot of space and different things. I wish he was a little more aggressive in the open space. I think he really has that in his game. That's an amazing game in the first game. He really is.”
Edgecomb's 34 points were the most in an NBA debut since Wilt Chamberlain set the all-time record with 43 in 1959. Edgecombe now ranks third all-time in points scored in a debut, behind Chamberlain's 43 and Frank Selvy's 35 in 1954.
“That’s pretty good,” Nurse said with a laugh after learning where Edgecomb’s scoring ranks in NBA history. “He's got a good motor. He's played a ton of minutes. We certainly needed offense. He definitely looked pretty comfortable out there. I think that's probably what I noticed about him the most. He seems to know what's going on with a young player. You don't see him making stupid mistakes. He just plays the right way. He's got a really good feel for the game. That's pretty cool though. That's a neat list to get on.”
The 76ers trailed by 11 points heading into the fourth, but bounced back thanks to the efforts of Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxeyscoring a total of 74 points. However, the situation nearly fell apart when Edgecomb missed two free throws with 8.5 seconds left, giving Boston a chance to win. However, the Celtics were unable to convert and the 76ers pulled out a dramatic season-opening victory.
Edgecombe started on opening night next to Maxey in the backcourt along with Kelly Oubre Jr.Barlow House and Joel Embiid. Early results from the 76ers' revamped backcourt have been promising. While Edgecombe was breaking records, Maxey also had an outstanding performance, scoring 40 points. This number allowed Hal Greer to score the most points in franchise history during the season opener. Embiid, meanwhile, scored just four points in 20 minutes and did not enter the court in the final minutes of the game.
Edgecomb, a top recruit in the 2024 recruiting cycle, saw his draft stock skyrocket during his first and only season at Baylor under Scott Drew. Edgecombe established himself as one of the most athletic players at the collegiate level and continued to improve throughout the season. The 76ers have moved on. Ace Bailey — who was chosen two elections later Utah Jazz – and instead selected Edgecombe as third choice.
