“Already injured? He’s really a 76er”: Fans react as injured No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe is set to miss Las Vegas Summer League opener

The injury bug has struck Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe, and NBA fans couldn’t help but point out the team’s long-running injury misfortunes. Injuries last season helped the team land the No. 3 pick and draft Edgecombe.

So far, Edgecombe has only appeared in one Summer League game — a 93-89 loss to the San Antonio Spurs — where he poured in 28 points and grabbed 10 boards, shooting 13-of-27. Since then, he’s missed matchups against both the OKC Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies.

On Wednesday, HoopsHype’s NBA insider Michael Scotto reported that Edgecombe would be sidelined for the Sixers’ Las Vegas Summer League opener on Thursday against the Spurs due to a left thumb sprain. He won’t be re-evaluated until Saturday.

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Some fans joked that getting injured is almost a rite of passage for Sixers players, bringing up stars like Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey and even last year’s rookie Jared McCain.

“Already injured? He’s really a 76er,” one fan said.

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“If this wasn’t the Sixers it would actually be unbelievable,” another said.

“That’s about what we expect from a Sixers rookie these days,” another added.

Here are other reactions to VJ Edgecombe's injury news:

Daryl Morey makes bold statement about Sixers’ backcourt after VJ Edgecombe selection

Following the selection of 19-year-old VJ Edgecombe in the 2025 NBA Draft, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey had high praise for his team’s guard rotation.

"I think we’ll have one of the best backcourts in the league, with (Quentin) Grimes, (Tyrese) Maxey, Jared McCain and now VJ,” he said. “With the way the NBA’s going, I think you saw some of these teams playing dynamic, uptempo with multiple guards that put the defense in jeopardy."

Grimes remains in restricted free agency without a deal in place, while Kyle Lowry is returning on a one-year contract. The Eastern Conference features elite backcourt talent like Jalen Brunson, Trae Young, Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and the sidelined Tyrese Haliburton.

Though Philadelphia had a deep guard group last season, several were sidelined by injuries, something the team hopes to avoid this coming season.

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro