The Philadelphia 76ers‘ season was rocky to say the least. The team that many expected to be a finals contender finished with the fifth-worst record in the entire league. With a combination of disappointing play and more injuries than most people can count, the 2024-2025 Sixers did not have many bright spots on the season. That being said, the team was not devoid of all hope, as a few more players were able to really break out. One of those players was an undrafted rookie forward by the name of Justin Edwards.
To fully appreciate just how great Edwards was for the Sixers, it’s important to understand some background for why he was able to break out so effectively. Justin Edwards was once the top prospect in high school basketball, a five-star commit to the Kentucky Wildcats. Unfortunately, his time with the Wildcats was not as productive as he had hoped. He struggled to produce at the level that was expected, averaging 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game, starting 30 of the 32 games played.
Despite this lack of production, the former Imhotep Institute Charter forward decided to enter the 2024 NBA Draft, where he would ultimately go undrafted and sign a two-way contract with the Sixers.
On this two-way deal, Edwards would begin showing flashes of his potential.
In 22 games as a two-way player, Edwards averaged 8.1 points and 3.1 rebounds a night while shooting 37.5% from three on 4.0 attempts per game. With the number of injuries to the Sixers roster, Edwards took advantage of the opportunity and used his success to secure a standard two-year deal that contained a team option for next season.
Edwards finished out his impressive rookie season by averaging 10.1 points a night, fifth among rookies who appeared in at least 40 games in the 2024-2025 season. He also shot 45.5% from the field and 36.3% from three this season, both of which rank ahead of Lottery picks Zaccharie Risacher and Matas Buzelis. While Edwards wasn’t a perfect player, his rookie year showed a ton of promise and led to hope down the line that the young man can continue to develop, as he is only 21 years old right now.
Recognizing how good he was last year doesn’t mean that there aren’t things he needs to improve on going forward. Edwards was a solid finisher at the rim, shooting 58.5% there, and a lethal shooter from nearly everywhere beyond the arc. However, he shot only 5-25 from the top of the key. It will also be important for Edwards to find ways to draw more fouls. The 6’6″ Edwards took 118 shots under the basket, yet only managed to average one free throw attempt per game.
Overall, Edwards gets an A- for his rookie season.
