Former Kentucky Basketball Star Reflects on NBA Preseason With 76ers

Former Kentucky star Justin Edwards wrapped up his first preseason with the 76ers.

Oct 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Justin Edwards (19) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) during the first half at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

One of the Philadelphia 76ers signings over the summer was that of Justin Edwards, who agreed to a two-way deal with his hometown team after he went undrafted in the recent NBA draft.

Given the two-way status of his contract, it's an expectation that he'll spend quite some time down at the Chase Field House as part of the Delaware Blue Coats, joining fellow two-way players Jeff Dowtin Jr. and Lestor Quinones.

Spending time in the G League isn't something that deters Edwards, as the rookie sees it as an opportunity to develop his game.

"Just take it as a learning experience and just me getting better honestly," explained the 20-year-old.

Having spent the preseason with the Sixers, the former Kentucky guard got time to mesh with the team's staff, including Blue Coats' head coach Mike Longabardi. While the two have taken time to talk, the Blue Coats weren't on the cards, but it shouldn't prove to be an issue for Edwards given his knowledge of the team.

"I haven't really talked about it to him," said Edwards, "but I know a lot about the team."

The 20-year-old will go into the season coming off a preseason with the Sixers, which provided him with an opportunity to play under former NBA Champion Nick Nurse, whose fast-tracked coaching style took some getting used to.

"Everything is fast, so I got to learn everything real quick," explained Edwards, "That's just one of the things that I got to learn, But outside of that, he's a, he's a really good guy, I appreciate that I'm here with him and I'm able to be under him."

Edwards and the Sixers are set to start their regular season off on Wednesday night when they take on the Milwaukee Bucks.