VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick of the Philadelphia 76ers, scored 34 points in his NBA debut, the third most all time in league history (and the most since Wilt Chamberlain) in a mind-bending performance.

Nick Nurse has not been shy about the reality facing the 76ers. That they are, in their coach’s words, “digging ourselves out of a pretty big hole.” That’s life coming off a shocking 24-58 season, when sky-high hopes quickly descended into a dreadful,

The morning Friday's preseason finale, Edgecombe was working on his shot with assistant coach Rico Hines. Of course, Edgecombe got some experience with Hines during the famed Rico Hines runs at UCLA in the summer, but that work has continued now in Philadelphia.