June 12, 2025 • 17 mins
Justin Edwards discusses going undrafted last year, his rookie season with the Sixers, and what he is working on this summer. To read Matt Murphy's written feature about Edwards' rookie year, check out sixers.com.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
I feel like a good intro for a sit down
with Justin Edwards is how you greet people when you
do your media availabilities. You greet us with hello people
or we meet again. So you started doing that as
your rookie season went along. Now it's your first NBA
off season. What's life like as Justin Edwards right now?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Really just I'm starting to get back into things.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
I took a little break went to Jamaico, but now
that I'm trying to I'm ramp it back up into
things and trying to take a I don't know.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
A bigger leap than I what I was last year.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
So just working on the things that coach talked about
doing the exit meetia, my body, my drum shot.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
That's the two biggest things he talked about.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
But things I want to work on for myself is,
like I said, said, my body and I want to
be able to change my eating habits.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
So that's really like the biggest things for me.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I'm going to follow up on that in a second.
Coming off your visit to Dallas with Tyree MAXI. But
you're coming off of workout right now when you're not
on court. You've been doing some twitch streaming. So your
page on there je not real playing video games? So
what do you play? What games? How long have you been?
How's it going?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
I'll play two K Call of Duty.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
It's all right, you know, I just do it just
because like I'm always playing the game when I'm not
here working out, so like I'm a big gamer. So
I just was like, why not just you know, stream
talk to the fans or whatever. So that's that's really
why I started streaming.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Do you have like a set group of people that
you game with, any teammates or is it? Is it
just fans most playing.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
I was playing with Drumming for a while and then
you know, I stop playing with Drumming and I just
I play with my everyday homies. I play with my
uncle here and there. So that's really about it.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Back to Tyree Maxie and working out with him in Dallas.
I know he has high expectations for you next year
and some of your goals that you've already covered. There
was another one in addition to shooting and by it's
quote getting back to your old self on the court
is what you told us in Dallas, which includes being
more explosive around the rim. You said why that last.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Part just off the fact that, like I've always tried
to dunk on people, like just to try like so
I've always and I feel like I went away from that.
So that's one of the things, Like like laying up
is laying the ball up is cool. But I had
my coach, his name is Coach DeHart. He always told me, like,
nobody wants a player that's six six and always laying
the ball up. So I always had the mentality like
(02:30):
just trying to dunk on everybody, and I feel like
I went away from that. So that's That's one of
the things that I'm trying to focus on this year
is just to get more explosive so I can be
able to try to dunk on guys this year.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
How many dunks do you think you had as a
rookie on people? Don't general people this year, okay.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
But in general, I don't know, not enough.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I'll say that what about the NBA was what you
expected coming in and what about it was different?
Speaker 3 (02:56):
The games, the amount of games from the G League
and then playing forty four games with the Sixers, It
was like a big change. It felt like it felt
like AU at one point going back and forth. But
that was the I fight. The biggest thing that I
knew coming into the league and the amount of work.
I feel like every step you're taking your basketball creative
(03:17):
work gets more intense. So when I got here, the
work was like really really intense, and I had to
like prepare myself mentally prepare myself.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Also, a key word that I took away from speaking
with you in a group setting all season was positivity
and how that played such a role in your first
season transitioning from Kentucky to hear So as you improved
throughout your rookie season, how do you think positivity being
positive with yourself played a role.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Helped me a lot, especially when I started to go
through that slump, like towards the end of the year
when I heard my ankle, So I was like in
the shooting slump and I and I was like starting
to get down on myself, but you know, I remember
to just stay positive, and I feel like it helped
me out. And then I went on the stretch where
I had a lot of good games. So that all
played a part of just me being positive and just
believing in myself and the work that I put in.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Yeah, a lot of good stuff happened in February. You
had your jersey retired at MTEP, you had your contract
converted to a standard MBA deal. But it was a
random practice when you said, now I've learned how to
be more patient and positive with myself, and I remember
thinking that I liked that at the time. Before that
January twenty eighth against Lebron and the Lakers, described getting
(04:28):
introduced as a Sixers starter in front of the home
crowd for the first time.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
I was a little nervous, just off the fact first
time started, and then it was like what was it?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
We played on? What?
Speaker 3 (04:39):
We played what t and t inten Yo, So that
was like my first TV game started. And then we
were playing against like Lebron, So I was like, I
had total recats of the game, like my bad, but
I'll be better at this game because I was a
little nervous, so I ain't played my best.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
And you share an agent with those guys in Rich Paul,
with Tyrese, with Lebron. I know that's how you found
out from Rich about getting your contract converted early in
the season. How did playing with the Blue Coats in
the G League help you to stay positive?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Helped me build my confidence back.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
That was the biggest thing of me going down in
the g Like I took it as a positive thing.
It's not a negative thing, you know. I took it
as just going down there to work on the things
that the coaches want me to work on.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
It just to try to get back to myself.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
As we speak now in late May. What was this
time of year like for you last year? With pre
draft workouts and travels?
Speaker 3 (05:26):
It was a lot a lot like when I first
when we first started, like I was like working out
with all the teams, It's like, you know.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
It was cool.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
But after a while, like the flights and all that stuff,
it started to get a little tired. But you know,
it's an experience that that I've dreamed of and was
really happy looking going forward. So I don't know, really,
I was just really happy to be able to work
out with all the teams.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
And now I'm here.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Did you work out with all thirty teams?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Not all thirty teens? I have what twelve workouts?
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Tyrese Maxie said that you were the number one high
school player for a reason. How did you work through
not getting drafted?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
It was hard? It was hard.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
At first, just off the fact that I felt like
I deserve to get drafted even though I didn't have
a year that everybody expected me to have. I didn't
play bad, I don't think, but I didn't have the
year that people expected me to have. So that just
go on drafted. Really, I didn't think of it as
a setback. It was just like how my life always been. Really,
I've always been coming from behind, so you know, it
(06:27):
was just another milestone and another wall.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
That I had to get over. So that's really how
I took.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
It in and now I got converted to a standard
contract and everything worked out in my favor.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Last thing for you, it's very serious matter. Do you
really put honey mustard on your cheese?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Seke? Yes? I do forever yep.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Would you recommend it?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Yes? I would. If you want to try it, I'll
buy you one. Wow.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
I can't say no to that. Justin Edwards, thank you
so much. Now time for part two of the Justin
Edwards Interview, going into the time Machine. Summer League twenty
twenty four, when Edwards was just entering the NBA scene
and I asked him about that feeling as a Philadelphia
(07:14):
native here at summer League with the Sixers. Has that
sunk in yet? Being a pro and for it to
be the Philadelphia seventy six Ers, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
It's really crazy, honestly, because I didn't expect to be
playing for my home team, Like I told my family
a lot of time, like, it would be crazy for
me to go like all the way to Kentucky just
to come back to play for the Serday six So
I always kind of knew that I would, Like, I
don't know, I just had a feeling that I was
gonna wind up playing.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
For the Sixers.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
And you don't know why you had that feeling? Nah,
And then I'm sure that everything you're feeling right now
will be amplified when it's a regular season game, yeah,
at the whole Arena, all that stuff, even a preseason
game when when it's not just the summer league setting.
But where in Philadelphia exactly did you grow up?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Uptown Frankfurt Section, Like it was in between, Like it
was like, I feel like it's fifty to fifty like,
so it's really between Uptown and Frankfort honestly.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
And did you grow up going to six Ers games?
If so, what do you remember I.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Went to one Sixers game.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
That's when they had Neuralist Noel that had like twenty
fourteen or something like. That was the last time I
went to a seventy six game.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
What's it been like for you to watch, even just
on TV, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxi with the Sixers.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Uh, it's kind of crazy just off the fact, like
Tyree's mactually played for Kentucky, So just seeing like like
the development, I would probably say, like the like how
those guys started out and like what like how they
are now.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Though, that's really about it.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
For your high school basketball Emma tap Charter in Philadelphia,
what are some of your best memories as a high
school player.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I've got a lot of good memories with m motup Uh.
Probably one of one of my best memories is one
of the City of Palms with their first team in
Pennsylvania history to win. So that was one of the
coolest moments.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
And you also want a couple other championships the Public
League and we want anything, you want everything nice and individually,
you were ranked number one in the country, number one
player in the nation as a high school player. When
did you first find out? Not about that ranking, but
about the rankings in general, and where were you ranked
(09:21):
at first?
Speaker 3 (09:23):
My well, was it I think my tenth grade year.
I think it is when I first got ranked. I
think my mom. I think my mom posted it posted
about I think I was like fifty six something like that.
So I was like top one hundred, and then after that,
it's like every other month I kept going up the rinking.
So that's really about it, honestly. That so I didn't
really like pay attention to the rankings and nothing like that.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
It was hard not to pay attention when you got
to number one, though, how did that?
Speaker 3 (09:48):
I still didn't like it was an accomplishment, But I
still didn't really care about rinkings because I don't think
rinkers it really mean anything. But it was a goal
of mine that I set for myself and be able
to be able to achieve that.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Man a lot to here at Summer League. I've seen
you wearing Kevin Durantz sneakers at times, the KD four's,
and he's someone that you have said in the past
you've modeled some of your game after In what ways
do you play or try to play like KTI?
Speaker 3 (10:16):
I feel like his Mit range, like in like his pace.
I feel like he like he's like a like I
don't know, I just feel like he's like he has
a really good pace and like he knows what he
want to do and like his his just his MIT range.
I feel like he has a really one of the
best MIT range in the.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
In the league.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
You mentioned your mother and one of the things in
your bio is is your mother her basketball career Ebony
Twiggs college player at Chaney University, pro player overseas a
huge part of your basketball journey. What has she taught
you about the game?
Speaker 2 (10:49):
So taught me a lot.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
And I tell a lot of people like I appreciate
her because like she's not she not one of those
parents that was going to always like tell me what
I want to hear, you know, So just off the fact,
like she played basketball and she'd been through the process,
so she like she's honest with me. So just having
someone to like in my circle that I know I
can talk to when things aren't going right and I
(11:12):
know that she's telling me telling me how to love
means a lot.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
How closely does she follow each of your games? Is
that one of the first people that you talk to
after Does she yeah, like take a hands off approach
or is it more? You talk pretty quickly.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
After the game.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
She's probably the first person to text me. Like in
high school, I used to like after every game, I
used to just go in her room right after my games.
We would just talk like twenty thirty minutes about things
I could have did better, Like I could have a
good game, and she'll tell me, like, now you gotta
do this better, you do that better. So I appreciate her,
appreciate her for that, Like I tell her all the time,
like it's rare for her to tell me I played
good because she always like expects the most out of me.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
What are some parts of the game of basketball that
she's always kind of been a stickler about? Like when
what is it just defensive things or everything?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Honestly, I don't know. She always wants something to pick
at me about. So it was a little bit everything, honestly.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Maybe except for that game you had against Alabama in
college when you shot perfectly from the field, But we'll
talk about that in just a second. You have younger
siblings too, kind of going back to Landing with the Sixers.
Your entire family, your your your mom, your siblings, everybody involved.
What was your whole family's reaction to you signing with
(12:22):
the hometown team.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Uh, it was a lot of emotions because I went undrafted,
so I didn't really know at the time that like
I was going to get picked up to the seventy
sixth or so. Like when I found out, like my
my family and stuff was just like, you know, you
like your your home. You gotta like you got a
real big support system. So just just me being home
and knowing that I got the support of my family
and friends back home.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Music a lot.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Before signing and before the pre draft process. You spent
a year at the University of Kentucky for one season.
Why was Kentucky your dream school?
Speaker 2 (12:57):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I just grew up watching a lot like I like
watching the lot of basketb highlights, and Kentucky was always
one of the schools that I like enjoy watching growing up.
So I told my mom that one day I'll be
able to play like I wanted to play.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
For the University of Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Andon when I got the offer, it was like a
dream country of mine. So I just followed my dreams
and went to University METECHA.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
The game against Alabama twenty eight points, ten for ten
from the field, something that had only been done perfectly
twice prior in Kentucky basketball history. Twenty eight against Alabama,
who went on to play in the Final Four last year.
What do you remember about that career best college game
that you had.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
It was just I honestly don't know, Like I didn't
even like everybody was like, oh, you gotta stop shooting
the ball because I didn't know that I was perfect
until after the game. Like I was just like I
probably like I zoned out a little bit. I was
just like in the groove of the game. So it's
just I didn't really know until after the game it
was like, yeah, you're like, you went perfect, So it
was like, oh wow, I didn't know.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Coach John Caliperry, he took to social media after the
draft and said that he was disappointed that you weren't
draped in and that quote his upside meeting your upside
is ridiculous. What do you think your upside looks like?
With skills that you can continue to show in the
NBA and get better at, but stuff that you're already
(14:14):
feeling confident in using to prove people wrong, like what
skills do you think contribute to him saying your upside
is is ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Everything, honestly, Like, I'm not I can. I feel like
I can do a little bit of everything. So that's
I feel like that's what he means by that, Like
I'm a when I fel like the things I do
best probably like my defense, my shooting. I'm not thinking
I'm overall good teammate and like just the little stuff
like I feel like, I don't know, I just feel
like a little bit of everything.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Honestly.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Sixers fans, I've seen it with Tyrese Maxi. NBA fans
have seen it with many other Kentucky players. What is
it about coach Cali Perry that gets players ready for
the next level? U?
Speaker 3 (15:00):
I just say he. I fel he treats us like pros.
I feel like like he he gets us prepared for
the like the next level. Like so it's a lot
of things that he that he does that they do
in the NBA, like the like the plants out that
we had at Kentucky. It's kind of similar to what
we do now. So it's just getting us, getting us prepared,
mentally prepared, physically prepared, for the next level.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
MAXI has been here in Vegas at the start of
Summer League. And something else that coach cal said was
that he believes Tyreese will take you under his wing
a little bit. What have conversations with Tyrese MAXI been like,
and what's some advice that he's given you, because I
know he told Jared McCain, one of your fellow rookies,
(15:44):
to just ask questions at Summer League and not to
be afraid to ask questions about anything.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
When I first got picked up he called me, it
was like we're going to work. Like I was already
talking to Tyree's like prior to the Kentucky season, but
like he was doing. He was the first person they
called me after I got picked up by this.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
So he's just.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Knowing that I got a good VET to like learn from,
just like at all the other vets, but just knowing
that I have him backing me up means a lot.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
You're doing this alongside Jared McCain, who I've already mentioned,
and he's a Duke guy. You're a Kentucky guy, but
the same class. Do you have any memories of McCain
on the AAU circuit or or him as a high
school player, or if not, what's it been like to
play with him in summer league.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Oh, he's my he's my roommate of stuff, Curry camps,
so uh, just just like, uh, he's like a real
positive person. So I feel like that's like one of
the biggest things I like about Jared. And he's like
an overall good teammate and I think he's like a
good player.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Too, so it's a natural fit.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
To read the full article about the standout rookie season
from Justin Edwards, check out sixers dot com. As always,
thanks for listening and take care.
I feel like a good intro for a sit down
with Justin Edwards is how you greet people when you
do your media availabilities. You greet us with hello people
or we meet again. So you started doing that as
your rookie season went along. Now it's your first NBA
off season. What's life like as Justin Edwards right now?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Really just I'm starting to get back into things.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
I took a little break went to Jamaico, but now
that I'm trying to I'm ramp it back up into
things and trying to take a I don't know.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
A bigger leap than I what I was last year.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
So just working on the things that coach talked about
doing the exit meetia, my body, my drum shot.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
That's the two biggest things he talked about.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
But things I want to work on for myself is,
like I said, said, my body and I want to
be able to change my eating habits.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
So that's really like the biggest things for me.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I'm going to follow up on that in a second.
Coming off your visit to Dallas with Tyree MAXI. But
you're coming off of workout right now when you're not
on court. You've been doing some twitch streaming. So your
page on there je not real playing video games? So
what do you play? What games? How long have you been?
How's it going?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
I'll play two K Call of Duty.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
It's all right, you know, I just do it just
because like I'm always playing the game when I'm not
here working out, so like I'm a big gamer. So
I just was like, why not just you know, stream
talk to the fans or whatever. So that's that's really
why I started streaming.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Do you have like a set group of people that
you game with, any teammates or is it? Is it
just fans most playing.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
I was playing with Drumming for a while and then
you know, I stop playing with Drumming and I just
I play with my everyday homies. I play with my
uncle here and there. So that's really about it.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Back to Tyree Maxie and working out with him in Dallas.
I know he has high expectations for you next year
and some of your goals that you've already covered. There
was another one in addition to shooting and by it's
quote getting back to your old self on the court
is what you told us in Dallas, which includes being
more explosive around the rim. You said why that last.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Part just off the fact that, like I've always tried
to dunk on people, like just to try like so
I've always and I feel like I went away from that.
So that's one of the things, Like like laying up
is laying the ball up is cool. But I had
my coach, his name is Coach DeHart. He always told me, like,
nobody wants a player that's six six and always laying
the ball up. So I always had the mentality like
(02:30):
just trying to dunk on everybody, and I feel like
I went away from that. So that's That's one of
the things that I'm trying to focus on this year
is just to get more explosive so I can be
able to try to dunk on guys this year.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
How many dunks do you think you had as a
rookie on people? Don't general people this year, okay.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
But in general, I don't know, not enough.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I'll say that what about the NBA was what you
expected coming in and what about it was different?
Speaker 3 (02:56):
The games, the amount of games from the G League
and then playing forty four games with the Sixers, It
was like a big change. It felt like it felt
like AU at one point going back and forth. But
that was the I fight. The biggest thing that I
knew coming into the league and the amount of work.
I feel like every step you're taking your basketball creative
(03:17):
work gets more intense. So when I got here, the
work was like really really intense, and I had to
like prepare myself mentally prepare myself.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Also, a key word that I took away from speaking
with you in a group setting all season was positivity
and how that played such a role in your first
season transitioning from Kentucky to hear So as you improved
throughout your rookie season, how do you think positivity being
positive with yourself played a role.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Helped me a lot, especially when I started to go
through that slump, like towards the end of the year
when I heard my ankle, So I was like in
the shooting slump and I and I was like starting
to get down on myself, but you know, I remember
to just stay positive, and I feel like it helped
me out. And then I went on the stretch where
I had a lot of good games. So that all
played a part of just me being positive and just
believing in myself and the work that I put in.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Yeah, a lot of good stuff happened in February. You
had your jersey retired at MTEP, you had your contract
converted to a standard MBA deal. But it was a
random practice when you said, now I've learned how to
be more patient and positive with myself, and I remember
thinking that I liked that at the time. Before that
January twenty eighth against Lebron and the Lakers, described getting
(04:28):
introduced as a Sixers starter in front of the home
crowd for the first time.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
I was a little nervous, just off the fact first
time started, and then it was like what was it?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
We played on? What?
Speaker 3 (04:39):
We played what t and t inten Yo, So that
was like my first TV game started. And then we
were playing against like Lebron, So I was like, I
had total recats of the game, like my bad, but
I'll be better at this game because I was a
little nervous, so I ain't played my best.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
And you share an agent with those guys in Rich Paul,
with Tyrese, with Lebron. I know that's how you found
out from Rich about getting your contract converted early in
the season. How did playing with the Blue Coats in
the G League help you to stay positive?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Helped me build my confidence back.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
That was the biggest thing of me going down in
the g Like I took it as a positive thing.
It's not a negative thing, you know. I took it
as just going down there to work on the things
that the coaches want me to work on.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
It just to try to get back to myself.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
As we speak now in late May. What was this
time of year like for you last year? With pre
draft workouts and travels?
Speaker 3 (05:26):
It was a lot a lot like when I first
when we first started, like I was like working out
with all the teams, It's like, you know.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
It was cool.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
But after a while, like the flights and all that stuff,
it started to get a little tired. But you know,
it's an experience that that I've dreamed of and was
really happy looking going forward. So I don't know, really,
I was just really happy to be able to work
out with all the teams.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
And now I'm here.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Did you work out with all thirty teams?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Not all thirty teens? I have what twelve workouts?
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Tyrese Maxie said that you were the number one high
school player for a reason. How did you work through
not getting drafted?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
It was hard? It was hard.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
At first, just off the fact that I felt like
I deserve to get drafted even though I didn't have
a year that everybody expected me to have. I didn't
play bad, I don't think, but I didn't have the
year that people expected me to have. So that just
go on drafted. Really, I didn't think of it as
a setback. It was just like how my life always been. Really,
I've always been coming from behind, so you know, it
(06:27):
was just another milestone and another wall.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
That I had to get over. So that's really how
I took.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
It in and now I got converted to a standard
contract and everything worked out in my favor.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Last thing for you, it's very serious matter. Do you
really put honey mustard on your cheese?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Seke? Yes? I do forever yep.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Would you recommend it?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Yes? I would. If you want to try it, I'll
buy you one. Wow.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
I can't say no to that. Justin Edwards, thank you
so much. Now time for part two of the Justin
Edwards Interview, going into the time Machine. Summer League twenty
twenty four, when Edwards was just entering the NBA scene
and I asked him about that feeling as a Philadelphia
(07:14):
native here at summer League with the Sixers. Has that
sunk in yet? Being a pro and for it to
be the Philadelphia seventy six Ers, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
It's really crazy, honestly, because I didn't expect to be
playing for my home team, Like I told my family
a lot of time, like, it would be crazy for
me to go like all the way to Kentucky just
to come back to play for the Serday six So
I always kind of knew that I would, Like, I
don't know, I just had a feeling that I was
gonna wind up playing.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
For the Sixers.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
And you don't know why you had that feeling? Nah,
And then I'm sure that everything you're feeling right now
will be amplified when it's a regular season game, yeah,
at the whole Arena, all that stuff, even a preseason
game when when it's not just the summer league setting.
But where in Philadelphia exactly did you grow up?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Uptown Frankfurt Section, Like it was in between, Like it
was like, I feel like it's fifty to fifty like,
so it's really between Uptown and Frankfort honestly.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
And did you grow up going to six Ers games?
If so, what do you remember I.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Went to one Sixers game.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
That's when they had Neuralist Noel that had like twenty
fourteen or something like. That was the last time I
went to a seventy six game.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
What's it been like for you to watch, even just
on TV, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxi with the Sixers.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Uh, it's kind of crazy just off the fact, like
Tyree's mactually played for Kentucky, So just seeing like like
the development, I would probably say, like the like how
those guys started out and like what like how they
are now.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Though, that's really about it.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
For your high school basketball Emma tap Charter in Philadelphia,
what are some of your best memories as a high
school player.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I've got a lot of good memories with m motup Uh.
Probably one of one of my best memories is one
of the City of Palms with their first team in
Pennsylvania history to win. So that was one of the
coolest moments.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
And you also want a couple other championships the Public
League and we want anything, you want everything nice and individually,
you were ranked number one in the country, number one
player in the nation as a high school player. When
did you first find out? Not about that ranking, but
about the rankings in general, and where were you ranked
(09:21):
at first?
Speaker 3 (09:23):
My well, was it I think my tenth grade year.
I think it is when I first got ranked. I
think my mom. I think my mom posted it posted
about I think I was like fifty six something like that.
So I was like top one hundred, and then after that,
it's like every other month I kept going up the rinking.
So that's really about it, honestly. That so I didn't
really like pay attention to the rankings and nothing like that.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
It was hard not to pay attention when you got
to number one, though, how did that?
Speaker 3 (09:48):
I still didn't like it was an accomplishment, But I
still didn't really care about rinkings because I don't think
rinkers it really mean anything. But it was a goal
of mine that I set for myself and be able
to be able to achieve that.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Man a lot to here at Summer League. I've seen
you wearing Kevin Durantz sneakers at times, the KD four's,
and he's someone that you have said in the past
you've modeled some of your game after In what ways
do you play or try to play like KTI?
Speaker 3 (10:16):
I feel like his Mit range, like in like his pace.
I feel like he like he's like a like I
don't know, I just feel like he's like he has
a really good pace and like he knows what he
want to do and like his his just his MIT range.
I feel like he has a really one of the
best MIT range in the.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
In the league.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
You mentioned your mother and one of the things in
your bio is is your mother her basketball career Ebony
Twiggs college player at Chaney University, pro player overseas a
huge part of your basketball journey. What has she taught
you about the game?
Speaker 2 (10:49):
So taught me a lot.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
And I tell a lot of people like I appreciate
her because like she's not she not one of those
parents that was going to always like tell me what
I want to hear, you know, So just off the fact,
like she played basketball and she'd been through the process,
so she like she's honest with me. So just having
someone to like in my circle that I know I
can talk to when things aren't going right and I
(11:12):
know that she's telling me telling me how to love
means a lot.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
How closely does she follow each of your games? Is
that one of the first people that you talk to
after Does she yeah, like take a hands off approach
or is it more? You talk pretty quickly.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
After the game.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
She's probably the first person to text me. Like in
high school, I used to like after every game, I
used to just go in her room right after my games.
We would just talk like twenty thirty minutes about things
I could have did better, Like I could have a
good game, and she'll tell me, like, now you gotta
do this better, you do that better. So I appreciate her,
appreciate her for that, Like I tell her all the time,
like it's rare for her to tell me I played
good because she always like expects the most out of me.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
What are some parts of the game of basketball that
she's always kind of been a stickler about? Like when
what is it just defensive things or everything?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Honestly, I don't know. She always wants something to pick
at me about. So it was a little bit everything, honestly.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Maybe except for that game you had against Alabama in
college when you shot perfectly from the field, But we'll
talk about that in just a second. You have younger
siblings too, kind of going back to Landing with the Sixers.
Your entire family, your your your mom, your siblings, everybody involved.
What was your whole family's reaction to you signing with
(12:22):
the hometown team.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Uh, it was a lot of emotions because I went undrafted,
so I didn't really know at the time that like
I was going to get picked up to the seventy
sixth or so. Like when I found out, like my
my family and stuff was just like, you know, you
like your your home. You gotta like you got a
real big support system. So just just me being home
and knowing that I got the support of my family
and friends back home.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Music a lot.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Before signing and before the pre draft process. You spent
a year at the University of Kentucky for one season.
Why was Kentucky your dream school?
Speaker 2 (12:57):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I just grew up watching a lot like I like
watching the lot of basketb highlights, and Kentucky was always
one of the schools that I like enjoy watching growing up.
So I told my mom that one day I'll be
able to play like I wanted to play.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
For the University of Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Andon when I got the offer, it was like a
dream country of mine. So I just followed my dreams
and went to University METECHA.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
The game against Alabama twenty eight points, ten for ten
from the field, something that had only been done perfectly
twice prior in Kentucky basketball history. Twenty eight against Alabama,
who went on to play in the Final Four last year.
What do you remember about that career best college game
that you had.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
It was just I honestly don't know, Like I didn't
even like everybody was like, oh, you gotta stop shooting
the ball because I didn't know that I was perfect
until after the game. Like I was just like I
probably like I zoned out a little bit. I was
just like in the groove of the game. So it's
just I didn't really know until after the game it
was like, yeah, you're like, you went perfect, So it
was like, oh wow, I didn't know.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Coach John Caliperry, he took to social media after the
draft and said that he was disappointed that you weren't
draped in and that quote his upside meeting your upside
is ridiculous. What do you think your upside looks like?
With skills that you can continue to show in the
NBA and get better at, but stuff that you're already
(14:14):
feeling confident in using to prove people wrong, like what
skills do you think contribute to him saying your upside
is is ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Everything, honestly, Like, I'm not I can. I feel like
I can do a little bit of everything. So that's
I feel like that's what he means by that, Like
I'm a when I fel like the things I do
best probably like my defense, my shooting. I'm not thinking
I'm overall good teammate and like just the little stuff
like I feel like, I don't know, I just feel
like a little bit of everything.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Honestly.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Sixers fans, I've seen it with Tyrese Maxi. NBA fans
have seen it with many other Kentucky players. What is
it about coach Cali Perry that gets players ready for
the next level? U?
Speaker 3 (15:00):
I just say he. I fel he treats us like pros.
I feel like like he he gets us prepared for
the like the next level. Like so it's a lot
of things that he that he does that they do
in the NBA, like the like the plants out that
we had at Kentucky. It's kind of similar to what
we do now. So it's just getting us, getting us prepared,
mentally prepared, physically prepared, for the next level.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
MAXI has been here in Vegas at the start of
Summer League. And something else that coach cal said was
that he believes Tyreese will take you under his wing
a little bit. What have conversations with Tyrese MAXI been like,
and what's some advice that he's given you, because I
know he told Jared McCain, one of your fellow rookies,
(15:44):
to just ask questions at Summer League and not to
be afraid to ask questions about anything.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
When I first got picked up he called me, it
was like we're going to work. Like I was already
talking to Tyree's like prior to the Kentucky season, but
like he was doing. He was the first person they
called me after I got picked up by this.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
So he's just.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Knowing that I got a good VET to like learn from,
just like at all the other vets, but just knowing
that I have him backing me up means a lot.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
You're doing this alongside Jared McCain, who I've already mentioned,
and he's a Duke guy. You're a Kentucky guy, but
the same class. Do you have any memories of McCain
on the AAU circuit or or him as a high
school player, or if not, what's it been like to
play with him in summer league.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Oh, he's my he's my roommate of stuff, Curry camps,
so uh, just just like, uh, he's like a real
positive person. So I feel like that's like one of
the biggest things I like about Jared. And he's like
an overall good teammate and I think he's like a
good player.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Too, so it's a natural fit.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
To read the full article about the standout rookie season
from Justin Edwards, check out sixers dot com. As always,
thanks for listening and take care.
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