CAMDEN, N.J. -- Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe was quite the story in Tuesday's Game 2 win over the Boston Celtics.
He had 30 points and 10 rebounds as he became the first rookie to have those numbers in a playoff game since Tim Duncan in 1998 and he did so while dealing with some pain in his back after he took a hard fall in the first quarter that required a trip to the locker room on two separate occasions.
Oh, and he also went viral for winking into what looked like the camera towards the end of a phenomenal performance.
"Nah, I was looking at my teammate, and he was just in the line of the camera," Edgecombe laughed at practice on Thursday. "I think it was either KO (Kelly Oubre Jr.) or PG (Paul George). I think Tyrese (Maxey) was back already. So, KO or PG. That’s what I was looking at when I did that."
Edgecombe claims he didn't even know that he was going viral for a simple wink. He was in a zone that very few players get to in a playoff game. Especially, this early in a player's career. However, his teammates got on him for the wink.
"I didn't even know!" he said. "I didn't remember doing it. I'll be honest, I didn't remember doing it. My teammates in the locker room, they're like, ‘Bro, you always aura farming.’ I'm like, ‘Bro, what’re y’all talking about?’ And then they showed me the video, and then I was like, ‘It’s just a 3’ and then I did the wink at the end. I was like, ‘Oh’, but the wink was for whoever wanted it."
VJ hit a 3 and winked at the camera 😂👏 https://t.co/HArblH8ywF pic.twitter.com/Mzr2lTNeo7
As far as his back is concerned, one has to wonder if Edgecombe is sore after taking such a hard fall and then continuing to play. However, the 20-year-old rookie claims he is A-OK and ready for Game 3 on Friday back in Philadelphia.
"I ain't sore," he stated. "I'm good. I'm ready to go play basketball. I ain't sore, man. I got a lot of treatment. Take care of my body, and I've been doing that prior to just even falling so I was able to sustain a lot of it. So I'm good, to be honest."
After going through his first 82-game season, in which he played 75 games, Edgecombe has learned to take care of his body. He has learned that he needs to be ready for any challenge thrown his way and taking care of himself is the most important thing as he gets set for what's ahead.
"Man, I'll be honest, I ain't really take care of my body prior to getting to the league," Edgecombe laughed. "I mean, I'm still young, so like, I'm just going based off of that, but yeah, 82 games is long. It's been a long season, and we're blessed to still be playing. So like you said, man, it's important. It's just super important to take care of my body."
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers' VJ Edgecombe talks viral wink, gives update after Game 2 fall