A particularly rare cross-sports “jersey swap” took place at the Philadelphia 76ers‘ practice facility Tuesday afternoon between Justin Edwards and a special guest.
The team hosted NASCAR driver Chase Briscoe, who drives the No. 19 car, for a tour of their practice facility, ahead of Sunday’s Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway. Briscoe drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, of which the Sixers’ ownership group, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, is a minority owner.
At the team’s practice facility, Briscoe met up with the Sixers’ own No. 19, Justin Edwards, as the two shot around the practice court after effectively swapping jerseys.
We’ve seen collabs between sports before, like Luka Dončić’s iconic LA moment with Rams star wideout Puka Nacua earlier this year, but Justin Edwards received something a bit more unusual from his fast-driving new friend, a car door from Briscoe’s No. 19 ride.
After shooting around, Briscoe and Edwards met with the media to discuss the collaboration and more. Edwards joked with Philly Sports Network that he has no plans to hit the raceway any time soon despite Briscoe’s appearance on the hardwood.
This summer marks Edwards’s first full offseason since making his NBA debut. Edwards has spent the majority of his time in the area—it is his hometown, after all — but also mentioned he had taken some time to relax and recover with a vacation in Jamaica.
Edwards isn’t just sitting back this summer, though. He notably spent a portion of the offseason in Dallas with his teammate, Tyrese Maxey, for a prolonged workout and continues to work on and off the court to improve.
“It’s been a grind,” Edwards said of the offseason. “Just trying to focus on the things that’s going to help me be better and help the team next year.”
As for what the hometown favorite has been working on this summer, Edwards said he’s working on “little basic stuff,” including changing his eating habits, gaining strength, and practicing improving the consistency of his jump shot. Edwards made 45.5% of his field-goal attempts and 36.3% of his three-pointers last season, the latter of which exceeded expectations, but it’s clear Edwards feels there’s more room to improve.
With the NBA draft just a week away, Edwards also reflected on his experience this time last year, when he went undrafted and ultimately signed with the Sixers as an undrafted free agent.
“It feels good that I don’t have to deal with it anymore,” Edwards said with a grin. “I’m happy to watch [the draft] and see where all my homies go.”
In just over a week’s time, Edwards will likely have one or more new teammates. The Sixers currently hold the third and the 35th picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, and though Edwards’ NBA experience is not yet extensive, there is some opportunity for him to help bring along this year’s rookie class.
“The main thing is just to stay positive,” Edwards said of his advice to his future teammates. “There’s going to be guys that get drafted high that are going to expect to play early, and they might not play until the second half of the season. Just to stay positive and control what you can control.”
Edwards’ approach last season was the epitome of his own advice. After a disappointing one-and-done season at Kentucky, Edwards came to the Sixers as a raw prospect with questions surrounding his ability as a shooter and ball-handler.
While Edwards made just two appearances in 2024, come the start of the new year, he began to force the hand of head coach Nick Nurse by maximizing the opportunities that came his way as the Sixers dealt with a barrage of injuries.
Heading into his second season in the NBA, many have eyes on Edwards, looking to see where the young wing can take his game from here.
