VJ Edgecombe turned in a historic performance in his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, and the third pick joined some elite company in the history books afterward.

Edgecombe produced 34 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal in a 117-116 win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. He went 13-of-26 from the field, including 5-of-13 from 3-point range, in 42 minutes as the starting shooting guard.

The 20-year-old registered the third-highest-scoring performance by a rookie in a debut game, trailing only Frank Selvy (35 points, 1954) and Wilt Chamberlain (43 points, 1959). He set the franchise record, topping the 30 points Allen Iverson had on Nov. 1, 1996.

"It is amazing," Edgecombe said of joining those players. "I must say. It is amazing, but I mean, hopefully, I have a long career ahead of me. That is what matters most. Longevity. Knowing Bron, who has been here 20-plus years. I’m hoping I can do that one day, but just putting in work. It feels great having my name mentioned with LeBron’s name, but credit to Bron and credit to my teammates for passing me the ball."

Edgecombe was highly touted out of Baylor because of his ability to impact games on both ends of the court. He was viewed as one of the most athletic players in the draft and was an offensive force when getting downhill, thanks to his ability to create for himself and stretch the floor.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse experimented with Edgecombe playing alongside Tyrese Maxey throughout the preseason and was encouraged with the results. The two players stole the show against the Celtics, with Maxey erupting for 40 points.

"(VJ) has a good motor, right?" Nurse said. "He played a ton of minutes. We certainly needed the offense, and he certainly just looked pretty comfortable out there. I think that is probably one thing I’ve noticed the most about him: He seems to really know what is going on out there for a young player. You just don’t see him making silly mistakes or many mistakes. He is just playing the right way."

Edgecombe worked extensively on his 3-point shooting over the offseason, along with other key elements of his game that will enable him to play at either guard position. That work looked to pay off after turning in an efficient performance.

The Bahamian guard looked to be one of the best players on the floor against the Celtics and proved that he should be a pivotal player for the Sixers this season. He has prepared for his opportunity with the team and is grateful to tip off his career with such a historic outing.

"I work every day," Edgecombe said. "I work out every day. I work on certain things to get better every day. That is where my confidence comes from. My teammates also instill confidence in me. ... I work every day and all of my life for moments like these. This is my dream. I prayed for this. I always prayed to make it to the NBA and to stay in the NBA."

This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Sixers' VJ Edgecombe joined elite company after historic debut: 'It is amazing'

Reporting by Cody Taylor, Rookie Wire / Rookie Wire

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect