V.J. Edgecombe has opened up about his reaction to LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers, admitting that he repeatedly contacted Tyrese Maxey while waiting for the decision.
Edgecombe revealed that James was one of the players who inspired him to begin playing basketball, particularly during the four-time NBA champion’s time with the Miami Heat.
"I don't know LeBron," Edgecombe said on Chiney Today show. "I love LeBron, don't get me wrong. I just never met him. Obviously, we played against each other.
"That’s who I looked up to when it comes to basketball and stuff like that. That’s one of the reasons why I started playing ball, when he was in Miami."
Edgecombe repeatedly asked Maxey about LeBron
While James was deciding his next destination, Edgecombe said he regularly called Maxey to ask whether the superstar was coming to Philadelphia.
"I kept calling Tyrese, and I was like, 'Are we getting Bron? Are we getting Bron?'" Edgecombe recalled.
According to Edgecombe, Maxey repeatedly denied knowing whether James would join the 76ers.
"Tyrese was like, 'Bro, I don't know. I don't think so,'" Edgecombe continued. "But he knew the whole time. He just didn't want to tell me. That’s what I feel. I might be wrong."
James’ arrival gives Edgecombe an opportunity to play alongside one of his childhood basketball inspirations while beginning the next chapter of his career in Philadelphia.