Before the bright lights, roaring crowds, and multimillion-dollar contracts, VJ Edgecombe was just a kid in the Bahamas with a dream, and a milk crate nailed to a pole.
In a recent interview following his electrifying NBA debut, the Philadelphia 76ers rookie opened up about his childhood, revealing that his earliest basketball memories weren’t made in gyms or on hardwood courts, but in the dirt roads of Bimini, where he and his friends used a milk crate as a makeshift hoop.
“We didn’t have much,” Edgecombe said. “But we had imagination. That crate was our rim, and the street was our arena.”
Edgecombe’s story begins in a small fishing village in the Bahamas, where poverty was a daily reality. His family struggled to make ends meet, and organized sports were a luxury. But that didn’t stop him from falling in love with basketball.
With no access to regulation equipment, Edgecombe and his friends improvised. They cut out the bottom of a milk crate, nailed it to a wooden post, and used whatever ball they could find, sometimes even rolled-up socks.
“We didn’t care what the ball was,” he recalled. “We just wanted to play.”
Bimini, to the World.
With an island of support behind him, @vj_edgecombe suits up tonight for his NBA debut. pic.twitter.com/amEomxCOvA
— adidas Basketball (@adidasHoops) October 22, 2025
Milk crate hoops to the League.
Watch @vj_edgecombe’s story: https://t.co/8ikoVlbZ0O pic.twitter.com/kKv0wjdF10
— adidas Basketball (@adidasHoops) October 23, 2025
Edgecombe’s talent was undeniable. After moving to the United States for high school, he quickly rose through the ranks, earning national attention at Long Island Lutheran and later starring at Baylor University. His relentless work ethic and explosive athleticism made him a top prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft, where he was selected third overall by the Sixers.
His debut, 34 points and 7 rebounds, was one of the most impressive rookie performances in league history. But for Edgecombe, the moment was about more than stats.
“I prayed for this,” he said. “I always prayed to make it to the NBA and to stay in the NBA. That was crazy. That surpassed my expectations.”
From milk crates to the NBA, he’s proof that greatness can come from anywhere, and that the game of basketball belongs to everyone.
As he continues to rise, Edgecombe remains grounded in his roots. He’s already begun working with youth programs in the Bahamas, hoping to provide real hoops, real courts, and real opportunities for the next generation.
