As two of the highest prospects within the 2024 recruiting cycle, former five-star recruits VJ Edgecombe and Cooper Flagg went viral previous to being one-and-done gamers at Baylor and Duke, respectively, throughout a gathering on the prep hardwood. The 2 eventual top-three NBA Draft picks exchanged phrases on the free-throw line in 2024.
Edgecombe just lately addressed the supposed beef between the 2 prime draft picks and stated every thing was blown out of proportion. Edgecombe went No. 3 general to the Philadelphia 76ers this summer season whereas Flagg was the highest decide of the Dallas Mavericks.
“It is a pleasant rivalry; off the courtroom we’re shut,” Edgecombe stated throughout an look on Podcast P with Paul George from Wave Unique. “We’re shut, however we all know on the courtroom, we’re competing. Individuals thought he stated (that), as a result of he thought I used to be dangerous or one thing like that. Nah. I stepped over him. He was not he flooring and acquired the final shot of just like the third quarter and strolling to my bench, I seen him on the ground and I simply walked over him.
“I had like 20-something (factors) that recreation. He cannot say I am not like that. He shot, flopped and tried to get a foul and I used to be like, ‘Bro, that ain’t no foul’ and I simply walked over him to my bench. They dragged it. The digicam man dragged it so loopy. I perceive it is for clicks.”
Edgecombe and Flagg met once more as freshmen in faculty basketball earlier this yr.
“On the finish of the day, it is all love between me and Coop,” Edgecombe stated. “They tried it once more in March (throughout the NCAA Match). We on the free-throw line they usually tried to make it a factor once more.”
Like Flagg, Edgecombe dazzled throughout NBA summer season league and Philadelphia selected to close him down early for relaxation forward of the 2025-26 season. The 19-year-old poured in a game-high 28 factors on 13 of 27 capturing, pulled down 10 rebounds and hand out 4 assists in his summer season debut throughout a loss to the Utah Jazz.
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Flagg made two begins earlier than the Mavericks determined that they had seen sufficient following his 31-point outburst this month towards the San Antonio Spurs. Flagg’s high-end scoring outing was probably the most by a No. 1 decide in summer season league play since John Wall in 2010 and confirmed Dallas had a gem in its prime choice.
Edgecombe common 15 factors and 5.6 rebounds per recreation in his solely season at Baylor whereas Flagg was faculty basketball’s nationwide participant of the yr at Duke after scoring 19.2 factors per recreation with 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
Edgecombe instructed George on his podcast that he “hated faculty basketball” due to the shortage of spacing and expects his full offensive arsenal to be on show on the subsequent stage.
