“Championship or bust.”
This past offseason, VJ Edgecombe joined WNBA All-Star turned ESPN Analyst Chiney Ogwumike on ESPN’s “Chiney Today”. Around seven minutes into his interview, Edgecombe set the expectations for the upcoming season extremely high.
When asked about his expectations for the season, he set the bar at the top. He told Ogwumike, “Championship or bust.”
Almost every team in the NBA has their eyes set on the Larry O’Brien this year, but what would it mean for the Philadelphia 76ers’ core and front office to win it all?
A Process Made Complete
Leading the charge of “The Process” era, dubbed by Sam Hinkie and Sixers guard Tony Wroten, is Joel Embiid.
Admittedly, Joel has spent a large portion of his career injured. However, his career’s accolades have far from reflected it. Throughout his career, Embiid has captured an MVP award, 2x Scoring Champion, 7x NBA All-Star, 5x All-NBA, and 3x All-Defensive Team. The only thing that has eluded him throughout his illustrious career, however, is an NBA championship.
For Embiid, a championship would complete his resume and absolutely cement him as a Philadelphia legend. Sixers fans, especially Philadelphia natives, have a love-hate relationship with him.
Throughout the 2010s, the Sixers had become accustomed to first-round exits and missing the playoffs. Amidst the disappointing chaos, Embiid was drafted. He symbolized a new era for Philadelphia basketball.
Since that time, however, he hasn’t been able to stay healthy. As a result, Sixers fans haven’t had much opportunity to even see their team at 100% roster health.
To Sixers fans, winning a championship for the first time since 1983 and having him be the longest-tenured player on the team would be monumental. At 32 and going into the latter years of his career, it would symbolize him completing “The Process”.
After years, Embiid would finally stamp his legacy and impact on Philadelphia sports. This would secure his spot on Philly fans’ good side. Not only would it solidify him in Philly, but in the NBA as a whole. Moreover, he’s been through a lot in his career. Not only would it be validation to himself, but to his peers as well.
According to Embiid himself, raising the Larry O’Brien would mean everything.
A Fit Ending for a King
LeBron James is on a two-year contract with the 76ers, but at 42, it’s very likely that this is his last run in the NBA.
With four championships in 10 finals appearances and a top-10 finish in just about every major statistic, there isn’t much more for LeBron to accomplish. The last thing that James can take control of, however, is the narrative. Specifically, he could take control of the G.O.A.T. debate, finally cementing himself as the greatest player of all time.
Michael Jordan at 40 and James at 42 are two very different players. Jordan played a few relatively meaningless seasons with the Washington Wizards, while James was and is still contending for an NBA championship.
Although it’s eluded him for the latter years of his career, the fact that he’s still contributing to winning basketball at such an older age is a feat in itself. Winning that final one while still being a contributor strengthens the longevity debate.
It also ties him with Kobe Bryant, and one ring behind Jordan. Of all his championships, his final one may be one of the most impactful.
Outside of individual accolades, the achievement would also immortalize LeBron in Philadelphia’s mythos. For one of the most legendary players of all time to be a part of Philadelphia’s first championship in four decades is nothing short of legendary.
Ultimately, winning that last championship would allow him to bow out of the game gracefully. As much as James is a joy to watch for basketball fans around the world, it’s obvious that he can’t play for much longer.
Reaching the pinnacle one more time would let him step out of the game gracefully. He would leave everything on the floor and come away with the ultimate victory one last time.
A New Era Begins
Tyrese Maxey raising the NBA Finals trophy is more than just an accolade on his resume. For him, it signifies what he is for the Philadelphia 76ers franchise.
A breath of fresh air, the turning of the page, and ultimately a new era. Individually, it solidifies his standing in the NBA. After a mostly tumultuous yet consistent career so far, a championship propels him into the limelight.
Since his draft day, Maxey’s role was pretty much picked out for him. He was meant to be a complementary piece to Ben Simmons, playing off the ball and making the most of Simmons’ playmaking ability.
After his departure, he was meant to play off-ball for James Harden, playing complementary to him as well. Time and players had passed and moved on, and Maxey was the last one to remain. This season, Maxey is playing with the best roster he’s ever been accompanied by. However, he’s complementary to no one. This time, and rightfully so, Maxey leads the charge.
Put it like this: playing on a team with Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, and LeBron James, it’s highly likely that Maxey will win a Finals MVP award if they go all the way. He already leads the team in crunch-time production, points, and total minutes played.
Leading this charge, and winning it all to top it off, will force NBA fans and media to have some very serious conversations about where Maxey places amongst the rest of the league’s point guards.
At such a young age, winning would bring hope for Philadelphia’s future, proving that their elite young star can be a franchise cornerstone. As good as he’s already been, he’ll not only be putting the rest of the league on notice, but also solidifying himself with Philadelphia’s front office and fans. After all, what would Philly fans love more than a homegrown star who stays and wins?
The Ultimate Revenge
Jaylen Brown has done an immeasurable amount of good for the Boston Celtics franchise. An NBA championship, Finals MVP, and carrying them to a second seed, putting up MVP numbers, in a year that was meant to be irrelevant doesn’t cover half of it.
Celtics fans questioned him, doubted him, and essentially kept him in Jayson Tatum‘s shadow. Tensions got high, and the Celtics shipped him out for Paul George and a handful of draft picks.
Now, Brown is on the other side of the rivalry. Winning a championship would not only be the ultimate revenge against the Celtics, but would cement Brown’s legacy as a bona fide winner.
After winning the Finals MVP in 2024, instead of the attention being on Brown for achieving such an accolade, the talk in the media was that it should have been Tatum’s. This topic snowballed, eventually leading into claims and opinions that Brown couldn’t win without Tatum, and that he would always be a Robin to Tatum’s Batman.
The roster is full of stars. Therefore, Brown winning without Tatum would silence all of this media noise.
Additionally, it would, in the words of Kendrick Perkins, “stain the Boston Celtics” forever, putting an end to any talks that the trade for Paul George was worth it or justified. Leaving the media narrative behind, it would prove that Brown is a reliable plug-and-play athlete.
It shows he can be put into an entirely different core and he can still get the job done. He never needed the Boston offensive scheme. Instead, it proves he just needed the ball.
A Star in the Making
Being the youngest player in the starting lineup, VJ Edgecombe being a contributor to an NBA championship would be monumental for his career.
Lots of young Sixers stars have to follow and understand the same career trajectory. Be comfortable with losing seasons, stay buckled down for the rebuild, and “trust the process”.
However, things are different for VJ now. He’s found himself in a unique situation where he’s been drafted in a competitive team’s down year. Therefore, it spared him years of rebuilding for his career. Winning now could define how valuable he’ll be later.
Lots of NBA stars and role players suffer their entire careers from one simple thing. They simply don’t know what it takes to win. For VJ to undergo such a lesson so young puts him in a great position for the remainder of his career.
He is on a four-year rookie-scale contract now, allowing the Sixers some financial flexibility, but things will change when that time is up. If they win this year, being a core contributor and a champion at just 21 will prime him for a massive payday in the future.
Even if the Sixers decide to move forward from VJ for whatever reason in the future, a young, talented, and proven winner is valued everywhere in this league.
Outside of monetary gain, VJ will, just like the rest of the team, solidify himself in the Sixers’ mythos. Fans will look at him as one of the best draft picks in franchise history.
Ultimately, he’ll stamp himself not only in Philadelphia’s franchise, but all throughout the league as a valuable asset on a championship roster.
All at Stake
On a grand scale, this Philadelphia 76ers team could take time. Like Joel Embiid said in his media day press conference, teams with talent on this level have to develop. It’s easy to put five guys out on a court, but it’s more difficult to actually have created a team.
However, because of that same talent level, the odds of them competing and winning an NBA championship in their first year together are likely. The starting five is all at different stages of their careers, so they have different things at stake.
But if they can come together and lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June, it would be career-defining for all of them.
Leave a comment