INGLEWOOD — Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe’s smile wouldn’t dissipate.
The Bahamian rookie was speaking of his joy for basketball, the ability to provide for his family and the hot start to his first NBA season, building a profile for himself in the City of Brotherly Love. But on Friday night, after winning the Rising Stars MVP honors following his 17-point semifinal performance and game-sealing plays in the championship game, Edgecombe could only think of one moment as his highlight since arriving in Los Angeles.
He grinned. And then fired off a name.
“I got to sit next to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,” said Edgecombe, whose free throws sealed Team Vince’s 25-24 victory over Team Melo in the final, before pausing for emphasis. “That was fire.”
Edgecombe, 20, is averaging 14.9 points per game through the first 55 games of the NBA season, and he raised his profile a bit more with his All-Star Weekend debut. Still, the chance to shake Abdul-Jabbar’s hand in Inglewood, sharing the story while sitting in a press conference room across from The Forum where the basketball icon perfected his skyhook, is his highlight.
Playing the game of basketball, Edgecombe said, includes honoring the likes of Abdul-Jabbar – and every player who has entered the league before him.
“He’s one of the greats of all time to ever touch a basketball, and to just be in the same room as him is a blessing,” Edgecombe said. “Him still showing love, even though he’s retired a long time ago, it means a lot. I have nothing but respect and love for Kareem and all the greats that come before me. … I’m grateful to be in the league.”
The games on Friday during the Rising Stars tournament featured the top selections of the 2024 and 2025 NBA draft classes. The teams were coached by a quartet of household NBA names – Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, Austin Rivers and Vince Carter – with the pre-game trash talk to enhance the atmosphere. But the noise, the showering of affection, was meant for one player; one player representing Rivers’ G-League team with an 11-point showing to kick off All-Star weekend.
“Yanic! Yanic! Yanic!” echoed the roughly few-hundred fans seated in The Wall, the extra-steep Clipper fans-only section at the Intiuit Dome.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser, the Clippers’ rookie center and 2025 first-round pick, provided the home faithful with a handful of highlights, scoring a team-high 11 points with three dunks during Team Austin’s 40-34 semifinal loss to Team Melo.
“The Wall was amazing, man,” the Swiss big man said. “It was so great. It felt so good playing in here, having that energy. It actually gave me more energy too for the game. It was great.”
The first game ended with a brother-on-brother iso as Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs) produced a combination of dribble moves like a DJ flipping through tracks, bullying his older brother Ron Harper Jr. (Boston Celtics) into the paint to seal the first-to-40 game with a mid-range jumper over him.
Edgecombe’s 17-point flurry in the second semifinal – playing hounding, intense basketball from the first tip and scoring the final 10 points for his squad – helped lead Team Vince to a 41-36 victory over Team T-Mac, which was paced by Cleveland Cavaliers wing Jaylon Tyson (10 points). And when push came to shove in the championship game, with the 25-point target score looming, Edgecombe took the ball into his own hands. The 6-foot-4 combo guard drove to the rim, and up went Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan to try and block his shot.
Clingan’s contact sent Edgecombe to the floor, and to the free-throw line, where he comfortably made two shots to secure the win.
“To be honest, there was no pressure,” Edgecombe said. “Coach Vince (Carter) was like, ‘Might as well, right?’ I was like, ‘why not?’”
The anticlimactic finish, in front of a sparsely-filled arena, could have been viewed as a dampened masquerade of All-Star basketball. But for Edgecombe – and the rest of the Rising Stars talent – Friday represented a first chance to be honored among the league’s best.
Edgecombe just so happened to have the skill, and smile, to back up the honor Friday night.
FLAGG DOWN
The Rising Stars game wasn’t a full showcase of the NBA’s top young talent because No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg dropped out of the game with an injury, as did Washington’s Alex Sarr and Memphis’ Cedric Coward.