The Philadelphia 76ers have officially announced that their star rookie and third overall pick, VJ Edgecombe, will miss Wednesday's game against the Utah Jazz due to a lower back contusion sustained after a fall during the previous game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Team doctors will reassess his injury before Saturday's road game against the Atlanta Hawks. The injury occurred during Tuesday night's game when Edgecombe attempted a three-pointer and was fouled by Spurs player Carter Bryant, falling heavily to the ground.

With his teammates' help, Edgecombe got up, wincing in pain. Although the tough rookie insisted on staying on the court to complete his free throws (two of three), at halftime, due to discomfort in his injury and the team trailing by a large margin of 53-78, Edgecombe did not play in the second half for protection purposes, and his stat line for the game ended with 6 points.

This short-term injury to Edgecombe is undoubtedly a heavy blow to the 76ers. As the 2026 All-Star Rising Stars MVP, he has had a phenomenal season. Currently, he is one of only three rookies in the league averaging at least 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.

His numerous statistics rank among the best in his class. Eddie Conby leads the rookie league in steals with 1.5 per game, ranks third in scoring with 15.3 points, is tied for third in assists with 3.9, and ranks seventh in rebounds with 5.5. His maturity on both ends of the court has made him an indispensable part of the team's roster.

Image source: Internet