VJ Edgecombe found out he was going to play with LeBron James the same way every 20-year-old finds out big news. He was on his phone. He saw the tweet. He posted a meme.
The Sixers rookie, taken third overall in the June draft, went on Instagram Story minutes after the LeBron news broke. He posted a picture of SpongeBob shaking hands with Patrick with the caption “welcome to the team GOAT” and a crown emoji.
It was perfect. Simple. Genuine. Slightly unhinged. The exact kind of reaction a first-year player has when he finds out his rookie season is going to be broadcast on ESPN for 82 straight nights because his new teammate is LeBron James.
Why Edgecombe Is the Winner Here
Edgecombe was drafted to be the Sixers’ athletic wing of the future. He is a 6-foot-5 combo guard with elite bounce and a developing outside shot. He was going to have a nice rookie year on a good team.
Now he is going to have a nice rookie year on a legitimate championship contender, playing next to a top-five all-time player. Every game he plays is going to be a national broadcast. Every dunk he throws down is going to be a highlight. Every open shot he gets is going to be created by LeBron drawing a double team.
His rookie contract is going to be worth a lot more when he negotiates his second deal because his stats are going to be inflated by playing with LeBron. That is the LeBron effect, and Edgecombe just cashed in.
The Sixers Roster Is Unfair
Look at the depth chart. Tyrese Maxey and LeBron in the backcourt. Paul George at the three. Joel Embiid at center. Kelly Oubre coming off the bench. Andre Drummond as the backup big.
Edgecombe fits into that as the sixth or seventh man. He is going to play 25 minutes a night, mostly next to Maxey or LeBron in the second unit, running in transition and finishing plays other stars create.
That is a dream role for a rookie. He is not being asked to be the guy. He is being asked to be athletic, play defense, and not turn the ball over. His job just got a lot easier.
The Sixers Marketing Team Is Working Overtime
Fanatics sold out of LeBron 76ers jerseys within hours of the announcement. Season ticket waitlist numbers doubled overnight. The Sixers are going to sell out every home game from October to April.
The team also announced a new opening night promotion tied to LeBron’s signing. Edgecombe’s meme is going to end up on a t-shirt by the end of August. The Sixers marketing team has already reached out to him about turning it into an official social media post for the launch of training camp.
What This Says About the New Generation
Edgecombe is 20 years old. He grew up with LeBron as the best player in the world. There is a real chance he watched the 2016 Finals as a middle schooler.
Now he is going to be teammates with him. That is a wild thing to process, and posting a SpongeBob meme is exactly the right way to process it.
The Sixers just got a Hall of Famer to play with a Hall of Famer, and their rookie is treating it like the coolest thing that has ever happened to him. Because it is.
Philadelphia is going to be must-watch basketball this season. Edgecombe is going to be a huge part of it. And the memes are going to be undefeated all year long.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
