VJ Edgecombe and Cooper Flagg, both five-star recruits and leading prospects from the 2024 recruiting class, gained widespread attention before their single seasons at Baylor and Duke, respectively. During a high school game in 2024, the two future top-three NBA Draft selections were seen exchanging words at the free-throw line, an incident that quickly went viral.
Edgecombe recently clarified the perceived animosity between himself and Flagg, stating that the situation was exaggerated. This summer, Edgecombe was drafted third overall by the Philadelphia 76ers, while Flagg was the first pick for the Dallas Mavericks.
Speaking on `Podcast P with Paul George` from Wave Original, Edgecombe explained, “It`s a friendly rivalry; off the court, we have a good relationship. We`re close, but we understand that on the court, we`re competing. People misinterpreted it, thinking he said something negative because he believed I played poorly or something similar. No. I stepped over him. He was on the ground after taking the last shot of the third quarter, and as I walked to my bench, I saw him there and simply walked over him.”
Edgecombe continued, “I scored over 20 points in that game, so he can`t claim I`m not a good player. He took a shot, exaggerated contact to draw a foul, and I just told him, `Dude, that`s not a foul,` then I walked past him to my bench. They really sensationalized it. The cameraman blew it out of proportion for clicks, which I understand.”
The two players faced off once more earlier this year during their freshman college basketball seasons.
Edgecombe reiterated, “Ultimately, there`s genuine camaraderie between Coop and me. They tried to reignite the narrative again in March during the NCAA Tournament, when we were both at the free-throw line, attempting to make it a contentious moment once more.”
Similar to Flagg, Edgecombe impressed during the NBA Summer League, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to rest him early in preparation for the upcoming 2025-26 season. In his summer debut against the Utah Jazz, the 19-year-old recorded a game-high 28 points on 13-of-27 shooting, along with 10 rebounds and four assists, despite the loss.
Flagg started two games before the Mavericks opted to conclude his summer league participation, especially after his 31-point performance against the San Antonio Spurs earlier this month. This impressive scoring display was the highest by a No. 1 overall pick in Summer League since John Wall in 2010, confirming Dallas`s excellent choice.
In his sole season at Baylor, Edgecombe averaged 15 points and 5.6 rebounds. Meanwhile, Flagg was named college basketball`s national player of the year at Duke, where he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.
On George`s podcast, Edgecombe confessed his dislike for college basketball due to its limited offensive spacing, expressing anticipation for showcasing his complete offensive repertoire in the professional league.
