PHILADELPHIA (AP) — VJ Edgecombe rocked the basketball with his right hand and posterized a Pacer with a dunk that would have made Dr. J proud.
Edgecombe tumbled to the floor – yes, the 76ers rookie said, he felt that one – sat up and waved toward the bench.
The dunk counted for two points.
It shot to No. 1 on the highlight reel of the short NBA career for the No. 3 overall pick out of Baylor.
Just don’t expect to see a repeat next month during All-Star weekend.
Edgecombe said he won’t participate in the dunk contest, even as he’s making stupendous plays that have the Sixers in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Sixers were in awe of the throwdown that helped fuel a second-half comeback in their 113-104 win over the Pacers.
“You must have dunked on someone,” teammate Joel Embiid cracked as the media horde swelled around Edgecombe’s locker. “I haven’t seen this many people around you since you got drafted.”
Edgecombe scored just 11 points — Embiid with 30 points and nine rebounds and Tyrese Maxey with 29 points and eight steals did the heavy lifting.
But it was his slam in the third quarter that rocked the rim and more than 18,000 fans present to root on the Sixers.
The 6-foot-4 Edgecombe took a feed from Maxey above the 3-point line, drove through the lane and soared high above 6-10 Pacers center Tony Bradley for the dunk. He was fouled, but missed the free throw.
“That hurt,” Edgecombe said. “I landed too hard. It feels good to dunk on somebody. But it hurt because I landed bad.”
No surprise for those who follow him — Edgecombe finished in the draft combine’s top 10 with a 38.5-inch max vertical leap.
Edgecombe has been a welcome addition to the Sixers since he scored 34 points in his NBA debut on opening night against Boston and is since only one of three rookies in the league this season with at least 10 games of 20-plus points.
Edgecombe expected he would be sore in the morning, but ready to go when the Sixers complete a back-to-back Tuesday against Phoenix.
Edgecombe laughed as he joked the dunk wasn't even his best one of the season.
Only no paying customer saw it.
“I've dunked on Jo in practice before,” Edgecombe said as he smiled in Embiid's direction. “I don't know if you've got any clips, though.”
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Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey reacts after a dunk by teammate VJ Edgecombe during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia 76ers' VJ Edgecombe (7) goes up to shoot against Indiana Pacers' Quenton Jackson (29) and Jarace Walker, right bottom, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza bulldozed his way into the end zone and Indiana bullied its way into the history books Monday night, toppling Miami 27-21 to put the finishing touch on a rags-to-riches story, an undefeated season and the national title.
The Heisman Trophy winner finished with 186 yards passing, but it was his tackle-breaking, sprawled-out 12-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-4 with 9:18 left that defined this game — and the Hoosiers' season.
Indiana would not be denied.
Mendoza's TD gave turnaround artist Curt Cignetti’s team a 10-point lead — barely enough breathing room to hold off a frenzied charge by the hard-hitting Hurricanes, who bloodied Mendoza’s lip early, then came to life late behind 112 yards and two scores from Mark Fletcher but never took the lead.
The College Football Playoff trophy now heads to the most unlikely of places: Bloomington, Indiana — a campus that endured a nation-leading 713 losses over 130-plus years of football before Cignetti arrived two years ago to embark on a revival for the ages.
Indiana finished 16-0 — using the extra games afforded by the expanded 12-team playoff to match a perfect-season win total last compiled by Yale in 1894.
In a bit of symmetry, this undefeated title comes 50 years after Bob Knight’s basketball team went 32-0 to win it all in that state’s favorite sport.
Players like Mendoza — a transfer from Cal who grew up just a few miles away from Miami’s campus, “The U” — certainly don’t come around often.
Two fourth-down gambles by Cignetti in the fourth quarter, after Fletcher’s second touchdown carved the Hurricanes' deficit to three, put Mendoza in position to shine.
The first was a 19-yard-completion to Charlie Becker on a back-shoulder fade those guys have been perfecting all season. Four plays later came a decision and play that wins championships.
Cignetti sent his kicker out on fourth-and-4 from the 12, but quickly called his second timeout. The team huddled on the field and the coach drew up a quarterback draw.
Mendoza, not known as a run-first guy, slipped one tackle, then took a hit and spun around. He kept his feet, then left them, going horizontal and stretching the ball out — a ready-made poster pic for a title run straight from the movies.
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Miami quarterback Carson Beck is sacked by Indiana linebacker Aiden Fisher during the first half of the College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Indiana linebacker Aiden Fisher celebrates after sacking Miami quarterback Carson Beck during the first half of the College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. scores against Indiana during the second half of the College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Indiana defensive lineman Mikail Kamara blocks a punt by Miami punter Dylan Joyce during the second half of the College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza celebrates after scoring against Miami during the second half of the College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. speaks during media day ahead of the College Football Playoff national championship game between Miami and Indiana, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Indiana running back Roman Hemby (1) carries during the first half of the Peach Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal against Oregon, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Miami quarterback Carson Beck scores a touchdown during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against Mississippi, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) celebrates after the Peach Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal against Oregon, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
