The Philadelphia 76ers were without their 2025 first-round pick, VJ Edgecombe, in the team’s first loss of the season on Sunday.
Edgecombe, 21, took a knee to the midsection in the 76ers’ win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. The injury would keep him out for the 76ers’ second game of a back-to-back.
After missing one game, Edgecombe returned to full participation in practice on Tuesday, Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia said.
Further news has developed, and VJ Edgecombe did not appear in the 76ers’ injury report for Wednesday’s game against the Indiana Pacers. He is expected to make his return to the lineup.
VJ Edgecombe, Joel Embiid Absences Result in Sixers’ First Loss of 2026-27
Philadelphia gained momentum early in the season with a new-look starting lineup. The 76ers went on to start the regular season with three straight wins. They spoiled the New York Knicks‘ championship ceremony, then followed this up with wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks.
However, the 76ers ran into another Eastern Conference contender, the Detroit Pistons, in a battle between two undefeated teams. VJ Edgecombe missed the game with an abdominal injury, and Philadelphia lost, 106-93.
One of Philly’s offseason additions, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, stepped into the starting lineup to replace Edgecombe.
Without Edgecombe’s 12.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, Detroit was too much for the 76ers to handle.
Caldwell-Pope would finish the game with seven points (3-for-8 shooting), three rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
Joel Embiid also missed the game, leading head coach Nick Nurse to start a small-ball lineup with LeBron James and Dean Wade filling in at center.
Joel Embiid (Injury Management) to be Available on Wednesday vs. Pacers
Joel Embiid was unavailable for the 76ers in Sunday’s loss, despite trying to convince the team to let him play. His absence was due to “right foot plantar fasciitis management,” wrote ESPN’s Kris Rhim.
After missing his first game of the 2026-27 season, Embiid was also left off the 76ers’ injury report for Wednesday against the Pacers. Edgecombe and Embiid will both rejoin Philadelphia’s starting lineup.
Embiid went through another injury-plagued season in 2025-26; he is seeking the first campaign in which he appears in more than half of regular-season games since 2022-23.
So far this season, the former NBA MVP averages 21.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in 34.7 minutes per game.
Philadelphia will look to get back in the win column and put its name on the list of championship-contending teams in the Eastern Conference.
76ers Provide Key VJ Edgecombe Injury News Ahead of Matchup vs. Pacers