Extreme Philly Sports Forum

Which rookie -- other than Flagg -- will prove to be the draft's best pick?
1. VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers, No. 3): 10 votes
2. Dylan Harper (Spurs, No. 2): 6 votes

Also receiving votes: Carter Bryant (Spurs), Yang Hansen (Portland Trail Blazers), Tre Johnson (Wizards), Nique Clifford (Sacramento Kings)/Asa Newell (Atlanta Hawks)

With Flagg the overwhelming headliner of the 2025 draft class, we geared this question toward the rest of the group. "Best pick" was left open for interpretation intentionally: The goal was simply to find out which selection(s) rival teams liked most.

The big winner here was Edgecombe, who came off the board third to the 76ers and underscored his talent earlier this month with an outstanding 28-point performance in his lone game at the Utah summer league event. The Baylor product is turning into a dynamic downhill slasher in the backcourt, and many execs and scouts believe he has significant untapped upside operating with the ball in his hands after playing mostly away from it in college.

While there were some reasonable questions about fit in Philadelphia, where the 76ers also have Tyrese Maxey and 2024 draft pick Jared McCain at guard, Edgecombe's potential to be a standout on both sides of the ball ultimately overrode those concerns. There's plenty of optimism around the league surrounding his future.

"VJ might be Philly's second-best player by the end of the season, factoring in [Joel] Embiid's uncertain health," an Eastern Conference GM said. "He's that good and will thrive playing in Nick Nurse's system. "

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45807536/2025-nba-draft-executives-debate-espn-poll-rookies-year-best-picks-summer-league

As a kid, that guy for me was Bobby Jones... It was the 1982-83 season that my Sixers finally won it all... And it was the addition of Moses Malone that pushed us over the top... But without Bobby Jones, there is no way the Sixers win a championship...

Bobby Jones may have won the sixth man, but in reality he was one of the main 5.   Marc Iavaroni was the starter on that team, but Bobby always played over him when it mattered.   Sixers need a Bobby Jones as a starter, and a good 6th man to provide spark off the bench.

When Moses was traded, he was the difference maker... Dr. J alone was not good enough... But together they were great as Tony the Tiger would say... They got the job done... .

Although I don't disagree with what you saying about Embiid, your example of Moses is not that good.  Moses was aging and not dominant any more.   Barkley would have been that other guy, but the Doc was also getting too old.  As bad as that trade turned out, it would have worked out if Ruland had not been hurt.   Of course the Sixers way over paid for a guy that was showing injury concerns.  Then they traded the #1 pick for Roy Hinson since they felt they didn't need Daugherty with Ruland on board.  The rest was history.

Noel, Fultz, Okafor, Simmons - you forgot Mikal for Smith.

Fultz and Okafor were just horrible picks, as well as the trade for Smith.   Noel was in a bad draft (can't fault Hinke for not knowing Giannis would become a star).   Simmons was a no brainer pick and was good for a while.  At least Fultz was flipped for Maxey.

I don't think that I have the time to talk about all the failures that I have seen since the 80's... Jeff Ruland... The Bynum trade... Letting Iggy, Jrue, and Thad go... Think about it... Thad is still in the league... I get that we would not have Embiid... But we may have already had one with those guys...

THE WORST FOR ME was Mikal Bridges... To know that his mother worked for the team is shameful... To trade him like that... A local from Villanova who is the real deal... Think about Maxey, Bridges, Harris, Simmons, and Embiid... Yeah, Yeah, Yeah I get Ben... But he was good for us at one point until Doc Rivers did the unthinkable and talk about a player on tv... I think in a different world it could have worked with Ben... Maxey pushing it with Ben and Bridges... Ben in the dunker position...

I hated that we traded Moses Malone who went on to have more great years... That we didn't put talent around Barkley and Iverson... All the bad draft picks... Wrong choices... Not taking KOBE BEAN FREAKING BRYANT; SMH... And while Bridges was bad, I do think having the NBA install the Colangelo's probably takes the cake... It ended the Hinkie era, because we probably would have gotten 1 more top draft pick... I still wonder to think day what Hinkie's plan would have been... The guy I wanted in my JAMES HARDEN TRADE killed a real chance to win it all with Curry and Drummond... If we ran it back with Curry and Drummond...

Taking Larry Hughes instead of Paul Pierce hurts.   But nothing tops the trade of Moses and the #1 pick in the draft day.

I still remember Katz trading Malone/Catledge for a broken Ruland and that F I can't remember (Cliff Robinson maybe) then doing the #1 for Tim fn Perry.  What I disaster. I don't want any more breaking down Bullets/Wizards players like Beal.  We deserve better owners (Laurie not included).

It was Roy Hinson not Perry.

They couldn’t win with Barkely either.

Embiid has never had a team as those others had.  My list is Embiid, Barkley, AI, Moses then Doc.

Doc at number 5?   Not sure what you were watching, maybe the old Doc, but Doc is number 1 out of those guys.

Roster now set at 15 until Thybulle goes down in training camp.