The NBA Finals just concluded, but it feels like the news cycle for professional basketball never ends. As questions loom regarding the future of Inside the NBA and other shows, the league hosted its draft just a few days after Game 7 of the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder series. It’s the night where fans get to see the fresh talent entering the league, and while watching, I couldn’t help but get teary-eyed watching V.J. Edgecombe’s emotional interview.
Edgecombe, a native of the Bahamas, was selected 3rd overall by the Philadelphia 76ers and is projected to have a big career in the league. I have to say he deserves a fleet of positive life updates after learning a bit more about his past during his draft night interview, in which he laid out all the sacrifices his mother made over the years that led to this moment:
Long nights. I lived off a generator. I ain’t have no electricity. I lived off a generator for 7 years. To see what she had to go through just to feed us? It’s crazy.
Pat McAfee feuding with celebrities to television stations cutting away during massive games, but this one pulled at my heartstrings. It’s even more impactful when hearing the emotion in his voice, so check out the video below:
June 26, 2025
It’s good to see such a grateful reaction, especially on a 2025 NBA Draft night that saw some high-value prospects express frustration over being picked by a team. Ace Bailey, who made headlines after intentionally refusing to do a workout for the Utah Jazz, was drafted by the team anyway, and Collin Murray-Boyles went viral for dropping an f-bomb in disappointment when being picked by the Toronto Raptors.
There’s certainly a conversation to be had about the new generation of players entering the league, as rising superstars like Anthony Edwards have enough confidence to challenge a former President of the United States in a conversation. I think it’s just nice to see people like V.J. Edgecombe, who recognize just how hard it is to get to the NBA and are grateful for everything it took to get there.
That’s not to say these other players are ungrateful or unappreciative, but I would imagine some are in for a rude awakening when they get their first “Welcome to the league” moment after being the big man on campus throughout college and high school. The NBA is littered with the best basketball talent in the world, and very few of them were good right out of the gate.
In short, it’s a long road between making it to the NBA and appearing on some series that fans can stream with a Netflix subscription, so maybe all young players can relish in being selected like V.J. Edgecombe rather than appear ungrateful for the team that selected them.
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
The 2025 NBA Draft continues on Thursday, June 26th at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. Tune in to see what rookies are taken in the second round, because any one of them could eventually become the next all-star in the league!
