Young Sixers are doing their best to get you a basketball fix while we wait through the summer for this team to make its return. VJ Edgecombe, Labaron Philon and Dominick Barlow are playing in Rico Hines Runs and putting together their fair share of highlights.
Of course, we can’t take summer workouts and scrimmage videos too seriously (how many years did we have to endure videos of Ben Simmons making offseason jumpers and pretend it meant something?). It’s clearly a long way from NBA competition. Nevertheless, it’s fun to see how guys look, and get some indications of what players have been working on over the summer.
Edgecombe in particular has been standing out in the footage shared, from smooth threes to how he looks creating off the dribble. Him tightening his handle would be one way for him to take another step up as a creator off the dribble and playmaker, and unsurprisingly he seems to be heading that way with the footage we’ve seen from him this summer. He’s certainly looking fluid handling the ball inside the arc and creating space for pull-ups here.
It won’t be remotely surprising to see Edgecombe go up another level next season with the work ethic, drive, upside, and growth he’s already shown in the NBA. And even if he isn’t always handling the ball as much with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown now on the team, Edgecombe has thrived as a secondary attacker and play finisher anyway. If he can pair that explosive complementary scoring, dynamic transition play, and his high-energy defense with improved play as a ball-handler whenever he has to initiate alongside a pair of his star teammates (who can be staggered effectively every night now given the Sixers’ top-end depth), Edgecombe should be in for a stellar sophomore year.
You can watch the full Rico Hines Run footage here:
Labaron Philon had his moments, too. The Sixers’ new rookie is joining a seriously stacked squad now in terms of offensive creators, but there’s still room for Philon to get some run as a backup behind Tyrese Maxey and Edgecombe. Not to mention the inevitable games where LeBron and/or Joel Embiid are out resting and there are extra touches to go around.
Philon is arriving with plenty of talent as a three-level scorer and pick-and-roll creator. But he’ll need to be able to operate effectively as more of a connector, secondary passer, and off-ball shooter as well on a team like this. Extra time working off Edgecombe this summer can only be a good thing as the young guards start building their chemistry.
Dominick Barlow is in the mix too, and the form on his jumper is looking smoother. If he can improve at all on the 25.6 percent from three he shot last season, mainly being reliable enough from the corner with the easy spot-up opportunities he’ll have next to LeBron and Co., that would make a big difference to his potential as a contributor.
As Barlow mentioned in his recent interview with Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice, he’s been putting a lot of work into his corner three this offseason. Especially because of LeBron’s arrival to create opportunities for Barlow to benefit with extra space when playing off James’s top-tier passing. Barlow’s going to find himself open in the corners whenever he plays, and LeBron will be able to set him up with ease.
As for Edgecombe, he’s had a pretty busy summer. Apart from getting into these Rico Hines Runs and all the work he’s putting into training, VJ has also been stepping up and recording some impressive numbers for the Bahamas in the FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers.
The actual return of the Sixers isn’t too far away now either, with their preseason officially getting started on Oct. 5.
Enjoy watching VJ Edgecombe highlights on a loop in the meantime.
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