“He Knew the Whole Time”: VJ Edgecombe Says Tyrese Maxey Hid LeBron James’ Arrival to 76ers

Earlier this summer, LeBron James shocked the world when he decided to join the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers were one of five teams James was selecting from during his free agency period. However, they weren't necessarily the top choice, at least according to analysts.

While everyone was surprised to see James select the 76ers as his next destination, apparently, VJ Edgecombe was, too. During a recent interview with ESPN, Edgecombe revealed that he was kept in the dark about LeBron coming to Philly despite repetitively asking Tyrese Maxey about it.

"See, I don't know. I ain't know LeBron. I love LeBron, don't get me wrong. ... Obviously, that's who I look up to when it comes to basketball. He's one of the reasons why I started playing ball. ... But I kept calling Tyrese, and I was like, 'Are we getting Bron?' Tyrese was like, 'Bro, I don't know. I don't think so.' But he knew the whole time. But he ain't want to tell me," Edgecombe shared.

Edgecombe just finished his rookie season with the 76ers. He averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals. He finished third for the Rookie of the Year award. Having all that in mind, it's clear that VJ has a bright future in the NBA.

Now that LeBron is in the picture, Edgecombe has the opportunity to learn from one of the best to ever step foot on the hardwood. The knowledge he would gain from James could make VJ an even stronger player than he already is.

The best part is, he's only 21 years old. He has so much room to grow and is set to gain valuable experience by playing next to the King next season.

VJ Edgecombe Shares How He Found Out About LeBron James Joining the 76ers

When it comes to NBA players getting traded or signing for a particular team, most of the time, people find out about it from prominent league insider Shams Charania.

It's no secret that players tend to check Charania's socials to confirm whether a deal is legitimate.

VJ Edgecombe learned about LeBron James' signing with the Philadelphia 76ers directly from the coaching staff. In an interview with ESPN, Edgecombe revealed where and how he heard about James' signing.

He also shared that he had to double-check and confirm whether Charania had already reported it.

"I was on the court mid-workout, so I'm literally working out," Edgecombe shared. "Coach, his Apple Watch kept going off and off and off. He's like, 'Damn, what's happening?' He's like, 'Yo! We just got Bron.' I'm like, 'You're lying.' Equipment guys came out, medical guy came out. We just got Bron, so I stopped working out, went to my phone, and I saw Shams tweeted we got Bron."

The 76ers' starting five seems to be the deadliest in the league right now.

The composition of Edgecombe, James, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid could prove to be one of the toughest matchups the league has seen in years. That's if they get their chemistry in sync by the time the 2026-27 season starts.