The 2025 NBA Draft class may have delivered its next great rivalry—but according to VJ Edgecombe, there’s no bad blood involved.
Edgecombe, selected third overall by the Philadelphia 76ers, and Cooper Flagg, the Dallas Mavericks’ No. 1 pick, have been the subject of intense media attention dating back to their high school days. Their competitive fire and viral moments have only added fuel to the narrative. But for both players, it’s all rooted in mutual respect.
No Grudge Between Cooper Flagg and VJ Edgecome
Speaking recently on Paul George’s Podcast P show, Edgecombe clarified that while his battles with Flagg are intense, the relationship off the court tells a different story.
“We’re close, but we know on the court, we’re competing,” Edgecombe said. “We’re both competitors… We know, at the end of the day, it’s all love between me and Coop.”
The origins of the so-called rivalry trace back to a viral moment during a high school matchup between Montverde and Long Island Lutheran, when Edgecombe stepped over Flagg after a missed shot to close a quarter. The clip exploded online, prompting speculation about animosity.
“People thought he said [something] because he thought I was bad or something,” Edgecombe said. “Nah, I stepped over him. He was on the floor… And I just walked over him.”
Media-Driven, Player-Approved
Edgecombe emphasized that while the NBA and social media have amplified the rivalry narrative with Flagg, there’s no personal tension.
“He shot, flopped, tried to get a foul,” Edgecombe recalled with a laugh. “I told him, ‘Bro, that ain’t no foul.’ We were both smiling. Nobody was saying anything. I said, ‘Don’t flop. I know you gonna get the call, but don’t flop. It looks bad.’ And we just smiled about it.”
Like others, that interaction has been clipped and reshared countless times, but both players reportedly laugh about it behind the scenes. Edgecombe believes the NBA’s coverage helps stir excitement among fans, even if it means dramatizing real moments.
“The stories are blown up sometimes. It’s part of it,” he said. “But it’s never been anything serious between us. We talk about it all the time.”
With their first regular-season matchup still to come, anticipation is building. Whether they’re exchanging words or buckets, Edgecombe and Flagg seem poised to elevate each other for years to come—fueled not by resentment, but by a shared drive to compete at the highest level.
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