When rookie guard VJ Edgecombe came into the Philadelphia 76ers this season, he had to make a decision most new players do: figure out the jersey number he wants to wear. Edgecombe, who wore number 7 at Baylor, discovered that his old number was already spoken for once he joined the Sixers. Kyle Lowry, returning in free agency, claimed number 7. Edgecombe’s solution was simple yet symbolic – he doubled his favorite number and chose to wear number 77 instead. The choice wasn’t just pragmatic. Edgecombe explained why he picked 77.
“Because all the other numbers were taken and seven is my favorite number, so I just doubled it,” the Sixers rookie said.
More than just a backup plan, it allowed him to craft a little identity within a franchise loaded with veterans and established stars – and to do so in somewhat historic fashion. By choosing 77, he becomes the first player in Sixers history ever to wear that number. It also ranks as the second-highest number ever worn by a Sixers player, behind No. 88, which was worn by Alexey Shved in 2015.
Beyond Digits: What the number means for VJ Edgecombe & Philadelphia
VJ Edgecombe shoulders huge expectations coming into his rookie year. Selected third overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, he joins a Philadelphia 76ers team that’s already built around stars, yet is on the rise. The number can’t carry him, of course; he’ll have to earn minutes, production, and consistency from day one. But the choice of 77 signals something about his mindset: creative, resilient, and ready to stake a spot, even if the familiar is unavailable.
For the Sixers, this kind of rookie energy adds a dimension. Edgecombe represents a shift toward younger talent around the core, a move the front office has made clear through recent trades and draft priorities. While his number is a fun talking point, it’s also a reminder that he arrives as a unique piece; someone carving out his own lane. If Edgecombe can live up to his upside, fans won’t just remember him for wearing 77, but for what that number came to represent: possibility, change, and a fresh thread in Sixers history.
