For Justin Edwards, the path to a regular role in the league is right in front of him

The "it" factor when it comes to the NBA game of Justin Edwards is showing itself more and more for the Philadelphia native as he gets himself even more familiar with the rigors of the NBA.

It's been a strange two-year NBA run for the Imhotep Charter product who opened eyes last season with the Sixers by averaging 10 points a game while getting 26 minutes of run. It was a catastrophic season for the team, with, you guessed it, injuries ruling a year that ended with the Sixers winning only 24 games. But it was a chance for Edwards, fair or not, to try and figure out his profession a little bit faster than anyone envisioned. 

This season, especially of late, has been similar for the undrafted player out of Kentucky. With the deluge of injuries beset once again upon the Sixers, coach Nick Nurse went from flirting with using Edwards, to needing him a bit more to now relying on his 6-foot-7 wing man. 

And if/when the Sixers are fully healthy, there just may be a spot waiting for Edwards. Starting wing players Paul George and Kelly Oubre, Jr. will need someone to come off the bench to spell them for a bit when they return from their absences. That appears to be a wide open spot right now with Edwards, Dominick Barlow, Trendon Watford and Jabari Walker perhaps still competing for it.

"Everybody is stepping up, we've got a lot of guys out," said Edwards, who shot 18-for-27 from the floor and scored 40 points in the Sixers two wins over the weekend. "Everybody is playing a good role and good minutes. I'm comfortable. I feel like I could be a lot more comfortable. But as far as what my role is on this team, I feel like I'm getting a little bit more comfortable."

Comfort seems to be the way Edwards plays the game, whether it's lining up a three from the wing, faking a three and dipping into his beloved mid-range area, or throwing down a jaw-dropping dunk over a bigger defender, like he did Sunday against Portland after a steal late in the game that helped propel the Sixers to a 109-103 victory.

There are many in the same boat as Edwards with the injury and suspension-plagued Sixers: players who may not be counted on in a few weeks for as much as they are now. Some are trying to prove themselves with hustle and guile, others with a cerebral approach, others with sheer grit though somewhat limited in NBA level skill.

Edwards seems different. There appears to be a natural basketball ability to him. An NBA skill that is just there. That, with continued development, could make him a member of this league for a long time. The 22-year-old spoke over the weekend of his fondness for the mid-range game, pretty much a lost art in the "three-point or dunk" mentality that has overtaken the NBA game. 

"Even early in the year last year, I felt we needed a role-playing, hard-playing defensive guy that could space the floor," said Nurse. "I thought that a lot early last year when we were somewhat healthy and I think he fits with the other guys pretty good. 

"It's good that he gets some confidence out there. Even when he plays, when the other guys are back, the ball seems to find him and he's not afraid to shoot them. I just like that he seems to be a little more solid defensively now. I think that's him finding the rhythm of the game and being out there in longer stretches. Hopefully he can do that in shorter stints. He's not alone there. Everybody has got a different role when those guys are back.

"My goal for him would be for him to be a really good defender, a guy you can really count on defensively. I think he works at it, I just think he's just a little young to be great at it. You have to go through guarding a whole bunch of different guys and a bunch of different scenarios. And then I want him to be a super high-percentage three-point shooter. His mechanics are fantastic. His work ethic is fantastic. It should just be a matter of time before he is that guy."

Justin Edwards scored 19 points and shot 9-10 on two-point attempts in the Sixers' win over Brooklyn on Saturday: pic.twitter.com/kC4BKyzmyo

— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) March 14, 2026

And time is something Edwards has plenty of, as he just turned 22 in December. A tireless worker, Edwards will no doubt get his body into even better NBA shape, improve on his three-point shooting (36.1 percent for career), and thrive even more in that dreaded mid-range area. He appears ready to grow into a role in the league, whatever that may be under Nurse and when/if the likes of Joel Embiid, George, Oubre and Tyrese Maxey return this season.

But no matter how things will play out for Edwards, he has a mentor he can lean on in backup center Andre Drummond, who has become the voice of reason for many on the team. A true leader in a locker room full of younger players.

"He's a big voice for me," said Edwards of Drummond. "That's someone that I go to for advice when I'm not playing or not in the rotation or not getting the minutes that I think I should get. He's someone that I can talk to to help me understand the game a little bit more."

The game for Edwards will change when some of the regulars start to filter back. Maybe his role will be more defined, or maybe it will change from time to time pending on matchups. But the time that he's getting now, in his eyes, will be a major help for whatever he is asked to do in the future.

"Just being stronger," Edwards said of what he expects of himself on the defensive end. "Being able to guard different positions, I feel like that's the biggest thing for me. I can guard a guard, can guard a four-man if they ask me. That's the biggest thing when it comes to my defense, being able to guard multiple positions."

It's all part of the evolution of the young swingman. For now, Edwards seems on the right path to finding his niche in the league.