For the second time, the Portland Trail Blazers encountered VJ Edgecombe on the hardwood floor. What they probably saw was the vision they had when they selected Scoot Henderson with the third overall pick in 2023. Unfortunately, Henderson has not shown enough to persuade fans that he can live up to expectations.
Three years ago, the Blazers drafted a top prospect whose explosiveness, ability to drive at will, and impressive blend of strength and athleticism had scouts in awe. His potential as a defensive disruptor, thanks to his size and smarts, also drew rave reviews. There were concerns about his perimeter shooting, but some believed he could eventually figure it out.
Some of those qualities could also be read on Edgecombe's scouting reports last summer. The difference, though, is that the Philadelphia 76ers youngster has proven that he can one day become the star some pundits predicted he would be, if he isn't already.
VJ breaking the Blazers' hearts
The Sunday tiff between the Blazers and Sixers featured a back-and-forth affair before Philadelphia broke the game open in the fourth quarter. Portland was able to narrow the margin from 101-87 to just a four-point deficit using a 14-4 run. Unfortunately, Edgecombe's 19-foot shot-clock-beating dagger with 43.8 seconds left sealed the win for his Philly squad.
The rookie finished with 18 points to help the Sixers weather the absence of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. He also added a career-high 12 rebounds and was instrumental in the Sixers' strong performance on the defensive end.
This season, Edgecombe has been averaging 15.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and a combined 2.1 steals and blocks per contest. Sure, his inefficiency (42.5 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three) is still well below what many of his fans would like it to be. However, it's not uncommon for rookies to struggle a bit in that area. He would still arguably be a Rookie of the Year favorite if it weren't for Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg lighting up the league.
Looking for their own Edgecombe
For many reasons, the Blazers need a guard like Edgecombe. He could be the missing piece in their projected starting lineup that includes Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara, and Donovan Clingan.
The Baylor University product may not be a high-level playmaker yet, especially since his handles still need some work. But that wouldn't be that big a problem in Portland because Avdija has looked capable of orchestrating the offense, and it has another scorer who can create for himself in Sharpe.
On defense, Edgecombe could have joined forces with Camara to wreak havoc on the perimeter, while Clingan takes care of the paint.
The thing is, the Blazers could have already had their own — or even better — version of Edgecombe had Henderson delivered on his pre-draft promise. But the sad reality that Rip City fans have had to endure this season is that he couldn't even supplant the 35-year-old Jrue Holiday in the starting lineup.
Can Scoot eventually reach the level of the Sixers' budding star? That's a pretty low bar, if you ask me, as Edgecombe is still in his first year and has his best seasons ahead of him. On the other hand, if Henderson can just dish out a similar impact as his fellow third overall pick has produced for Philadelphia, it would already be a win for Portland.