On Saturday evening, the Dallas Mavericks hit the road to take on the Philadelphia 76ers in a battle of two of the top five picks from last year's NBA Draft–Cooper Flagg and VJ Edgecombe, each of whom has gotten off to great starts to their respective careers. That trend continued on Saturday night, with Flagg pouring in 24 points for Dallas, while Edgecombe went off for 26 for Philadelphia, who ultimately ended up getting the win in narrow fashion.
After the game, Flagg and Edgecombe posed for a jersey swap that helped showcase the good hands that the league is in moving forward.
Cooper Flagg and V. J. Edgecombe exchanged jerseys after tonight's Mavs-Sixers matchup 🔥
(via @sixers) pic.twitter.com/kJhh8muUsW
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 21, 2025
Flagg was drafted number one overall out of Duke, having risen into the national consciounsess during his time as a high school standout in Maine before transferring to Montverde Academy in Florida.
Edgecombe, meanwhile, burst onto the scene as a freshman at Baylor last year, using his explosive athleticism and silkly outside shooting touch to leave opposing defenses bamboozled, ultimately being selected at number four overall by the 76ers in June.
Flagg and Edgecome are members of what has been a great rookie class so far this year, with Charlotte Hornets rookie and Flagg's former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel generating a fringe All-Star campaign in his rookie season, lighting up opponents from beyond the three-point line and showcasing a veteran scoring ability at just 19 years old.
Overall, there have been concerns from some fans about what will happen to the NBA when legends like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant retire. However, if this year's rookie class is any indication, the league sure seems to be in good hands moving forward.
Flagg and Edgecome will next face off for the rematch between the Mavericks and 76ers, which is set to take place on New Year's Day from Dallas.


















