V.J. Edgecombe, Johni Broome eager to earn their keep with 76ers

The 76ers made a major investment in Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe by selecting him with the No. 3 overall pick in the highly-hyped 2025 NBA Draft, and the Bahamian product is eager to earn his keep as the newest face of the franchise in Philadelphia.

"I don't got much to say. I'm just ready to play basketball," Edgecombe quipped at his introductory press conference. "That's it."

Drive, determination and a killer work ethic is what took Edgecombe from Bimini to Baylor and ultimately to the NBA Draft lottery, and now that he's landed in the league, he doesn't plan to deviate from what got him here.

"I had to work a little harder, especially being from the Bahamas," Edgecombe told media members via Zoom after being drafted. "There ain't no opportunities. Ain't nobody watching you play. No coaches come into the Bahamas and say, ‘Let me go recruit this kid for D1.' So, I know that my work ethic has to be a lot different from everyone else's. That's why I work so hard."

Hard work will quickly make you a fan favorite in Philadelphia, and Edgecombe already appears to be well on his way in that regard. But, he also knows that nothing will be handed to him just because he was a high draft pick.

The Sixers are built to contend as currently constructed, and coach Nick Nurse will be looking for guys who can contribute in a meaningful way. That might not necessarily look like scoring 20-plus points a game, but that's okay with Edgecombe, who is ready to embrace whatever is asked of him.

"The main thing [the Sixers] told me is that I have to work for it," Edgecombe said. "Just fit into what Coach Nurse has going on. I'm here to buy into whatever role...  Whatever role they have me playing, I'm just willing to buy in."

Edgecombe clearly arrived in Philadelphia with the right attitude, and now he'll be tasked with helping the Sixers climb back into the contender conversation in the Eastern Conference after an injury-plagued and forgettable 2024-25 campaign.

This "do whatever is required" approach is shared by Sixers second round pick Johni Broome, who was one of the most productive players in college basketball last season.

"Whatever my role's going to be, I'm going to embrace it," Broome said. "I'm going to try to be the best teammate that I can be, the best player I can be. I just want to win. So whatever it takes to win, I'm going to do it."

Broome led the SEC in rebounds per game last season, and he's confident that he'll be able to play both the forward and center positions at the next level, which is good because the Sixers are extremely thin at power forward as currently constructed. If he is indeed able to buy in and quickly settle into his role, there is a pathway for Broome to play some major minutes as a rookie.

Collectively, Edgecombe and Broome provide a much-needed reason for optimism for fans in Philadelphia, and they both seem ready -- and eager -- to embrace the opportunity in front of them.

Follow Michael Kaskey-Blomain on X @therealmikekb.