As the NBA season is underway, the Philadelphia 76ers once again find themselves caught between bad luck and a breakthrough.

Last season's promising rookie, Jared McCain, is still climbing back from a brutal string of injuries. This year's newcomer, VJ Edgecombe, just delivered one of the best debuts in NBA history.

Decades of promise. Dozens of setbacks. One franchise is still searching for an answer.

Is Philadelphia's rookie curse ever truly broken?

Jared McCain: The one that got away

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The Sixers believed they had found a foundational piece in Jared McCain during the 2024–25 season.

In just 23 games, the rookie guard averaged around 15 points per night, shooting 46 per cent from the field.

He quickly became what fans thought was the obvious choice for the Rookie of the Year award and earned Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honours in both October and November.

There were nights when he looked unstoppable, scoring in the 30s against Cleveland and Brooklyn, keeping the 76ers competitive despite a roster full of injuries.

Then came the collapse.

A torn meniscus in December ended his season, erasing one of the few bright spots in an otherwise lost year. Months of rehab followed, only for another setback to strike: a torn ligament in his right thumb just before the 2025–26 training camp.

For a player whose game relies on touch and rhythm, it was a cruel twist. Still, McCain has remained focused, sharpening his conditioning while staying ready for a return.

His absence has left a noticeable gap in the rotation, the kind only a steady, confident scorer can fill.

VJ Edgecombe: His record-breaking debut

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Enter VJ Edgecombe, the 2025 third overall pick and the latest rookie to challenge Philadelphia's strange pattern.

In his first NBA game, Edgecombe put up 34 points against the Celtics, the most ever by a Sixer in a debut and one of the top three openings in league history.

He played with composure well beyond his years, sharing the backcourt with Maxey and powering a comeback win that instantly turned heads across the league.

For a team that has spent the past decade waiting on injured rookies, Edgecombe's availability and impact felt like a revelation. His scoring instincts, athleticism, and confidence gave the Sixers something they've rarely had in October: a rookie who could make them better right away.

The long shadow of the Sixers' rookie curse

To longtime fans, McCain's situation feels like deja vu.

Since 2013, nearly every first-rounder in Philadelphia has faced some version of the same fate.

Nerlens Noel missed his first season.

Joel Embiid lost two.

Ben Simmons broke his foot before ever suiting up.

Markelle Fultz's shoulder derailed his shooting form.

Even Zhaire Smith's career was derailed by a freak allergy reaction.

What should have been years of steady development instead became a timeline defined by setbacks and restarts.

McCain's unlucky run continues that legacy. Edgecombe's challenge is to finally rewrite it.

The bigger picture

Philadelphia's identity has long been defined by resilience. Injuries, rebuilds, and reinventions have tested both its roster and its fans.

McCain's recovery is the latest chapter in that endurance story.

Edgecombe's emergence could be the start of something new.