VJ Edgecombe isn’t hiding it. The 76ers rookie guard, coming off a strong first year in Philly, got visibly excited when the topic of LeBron James hitting free agency came up. He didn’t try to play it cool. He straight up said what every fan already suspects.
“It’s LeBron James,” Edgecombe told reporters, per an NBA Reddit post. “At the end of the day, despite how old he is, he’s still, to me, the greatest player of all time. I mean, if I get to play alongside LeBron, that would be amazing.”
And he wasn’t just saying that for the cameras. Edgecombe has been open about his LeBron fandom since his rookie season began. Back in the 2025-26 campaign, he told reporters James was his favorite player growing up and that facing him was the matchup he circled on the calendar. Now he’s got a chance to actually share a locker room with the guy.
LeBron to the Sixers? It’s not just wishful thinking
The 76ers already made a splash this offseason by trading for Jaylen Brown, turning themselves into instant title contenders alongside Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Adding LeBron would push them past the defending champion Knicks as the betting favorites for the 2027 Finals, at least according to the oddsmakers.
But this isn’t just fan chatter from Edgecombe. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the 76ers’ core has been actively recruiting James. Maxey, Embiid, and Brown have all been in contact with him, with Maxey leading the charge. That’s not speculation. That’s a reported fact.
The recruiting pitch has already started
McMenamin reported Tuesday that all three have reached out to James. The Sixers join the Cavs and Heat as the teams with the best odds of landing him. And you can bet Edgecombe would be more than happy to hand over the keys to the offense for a year or two.
Look, the guy grew up idolizing LeBron. Now he’s in the league, holding his own, and has a chance to play alongside his hero. That’s not a bad story. And if the Sixers pull this off, the Eastern Conference is going to look very different very quickly.
For now, though, it’s just talk. But it’s loud talk from a rookie who doesn’t care who hears it.
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