The NBA Finals simply concluded, but it surely feels just like the information cycle for skilled basketball by no means ends. As questions loom concerning the way forward for Inside the NBA and different exhibits, the league hosted its draft only a few days after Sport 7 of the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder collection. It is the night time the place followers get to see the contemporary expertise coming into the league, and whereas watching, I could not assist however get teary-eyed watching V.J. Edgecombe’s emotional interview.
Edgecombe, a local of the Bahamas, was chosen third total by the Philadelphia 76ers and is projected to have an enormous profession within the league. I’ve to say he deserves a fleet of constructive life updates after studying a bit extra about his previous throughout his draft night time interview, during which he laid out all of the sacrifices his mom made over time that led to this second:
Lengthy nights. I lived off a generator. I ain’t haven’t any electrical energy. I lived off a generator for 7 years. To see what she needed to undergo simply to feed us? It is loopy.
Maybe I am simply further delicate because of the uncooked emotion of the NBA playoffs, which featured every thing from Pat McAfee feuding with celebrities to tv stations reducing away throughout huge video games, however this one pulled at my heartstrings. It is much more impactful when listening to the emotion in his voice, so try the video beneath:
“I ain’t haven’t any electrical energy. I lived off a generator for 7 years. To see what she needed to undergo simply to feed us? Loopy”V.J. Edgecombe credit his mother for getting him drafted đ„čâ€ïž pic.twitter.com/V9qhNVAIcXJune 26, 2025
It is good to see such a grateful response, particularly on a 2025 NBA Draft night time that noticed some high-value prospects categorical frustration over being picked by a staff. Ace Bailey, who made headlines after deliberately refusing to do a exercise for the Utah Jazz, was drafted by the staff anyway, and Collin Murray-Boyles went viral for dropping an f-bomb in disappointment when being picked by the Toronto Raptors.
There is definitely a dialog available in regards to the new era of gamers coming into the league, as rising superstars like Anthony Edwards have sufficient confidence to problem a former President of the USA in a dialog. I believe it is simply good to see individuals like V.J. Edgecombe, who acknowledge simply how laborious it’s to get to the NBA and are grateful for every thing it took to get there.
That is to not say these different gamers are ungrateful or unappreciative, however I might think about some are in for a impolite awakening once they get their first “Welcome to the league” second after being the large man on campus all through school and highschool. The NBA is suffering from the very best basketball expertise on the earth, and only a few of them have been good proper out of the gate.
In brief, it is a lengthy street between making it to the NBA and showing on some collection that followers can stream with a Netflix subscription, so perhaps all younger gamers can relish in being chosen like V.J. Edgecombe quite than seem ungrateful for the staff that chosen them.
The 2025 NBA Draft continues on Thursday, June twenty sixth at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. Tune in to see what rookies are taken within the second spherical, as a result of any one among them may ultimately turn into the subsequent all-star within the league!