Jared McCain may not be in the lineup but the Philadelphia 76ers are getting some great production from another rookie. Justin Edwards, who went undrafted last summer, has quickly proved to be a keeper for the Sixers.
Second-round pick Adem Bona has flashed his potential throughout his rookie campaign and so has Edwards, who has been a regular starter when healthy for nearly two months now. In the 76ers’ 128-120 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Edwards tied a career-high of 25 points and recorded a scoring streak that only a few rookies have reached this season.
Edwards has now scored at least 18 points in three straight games. According to the Sixers’ stat department, only McCain and Alex Sarr have scored at least 18 in more consecutive contests. McCain’s nine-game streak towers above the rest of his fellow newcomers, Sarr is in the midst of a five-game streak, Stephon Castle has put together a three-game streak thrice (and was two total points away from having an active five-game streak) and Kel’el Ware had a three-game streak earlier this season.
Justin Edwards showcasing future potential with 76ers
All of those players were top-20 picks, a stark contrast to Edwards, who started this season on a two-way deal after going through the 2024 NBA Draft without hearing his name.
Edwards, a 21-year-old Philadelphia native who played college ball at Kentucky, earned a starting spot as the 76ers started to deal with a hefty amount of injuries. Even when all the stars played, Edwards remained in the starting lineup with them. He almost certainly will be for the rest of the season.
The 76ers playing in low-stakes games for the rest of the season will only help Edwards’ development. Getting the chance to play extended minutes and see what works will help him going forward. Even if he fails, it only goes towards the Sixers’ chances of keeping their first-round pick. In a lost season, Edwards is looking to be one of the biggest silver linings.
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