March 16, 2026, 1:39 p.m. ET

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers are, obviously, a veteran-laden team that has their eyes on winning a title, but there are a handful of younger players on the roster who benefit from being around those veteran players.

For example, a guy like second-year forward Justin Edwards or rookie VJ Edgecombe, and others are benefiting from having those veteran players to lean on. The biggest presence is Andre Drummond.

Drummond, a 14-year veteran and a 2-time All-Star, has taken on the role of being the mentor for the younger guys as he has used his voice on multiple occasions to help out the younger Sixers.

“He’s a big voice for me, honestly,” Edwards explained. “That’s someone that I go to for advice when I’m not playing or not in rotation, or not getting the minutes that I think I should get. So, he’s someone that I can talk to, to help me understand the game.”

The Sixers are in a good position with the blend of vets and youthfulness they possess on the roster and Drummond is relishing the opportunity to help those youngsters along and push them forward. Especially, with a guy like Edwards who has had a much different role now than he had as a rookie.

Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!

“That’s the role that I took upon myself this past year, and, you know, years before that,” said Drummond himself. “Just to make sure these guys are staying positive despite the ups and downs of the season. It’s a long season. It may not go your way right away, but staying with it.”

The Sixers will be relying on Edwards a ton until they can get healthy again and Drummond wants to keep pushing him forward.

“He’s a great player,” Drummond added of Edwards. “When his number is called, he’s prepared to go, and tonight was a great night for him, too. He comes to me all the time, whenever he’s having those moments of doubt, and I was telling him, ‘Man, just play within your game and it’ll come to you, and you’re great. So don’t ever second-guess yourself.’”

Naturally, when a player of Drummond’s stature gets to where he is in his career, the roles change. Teams aren’t going to rely on him as the main piece to help them win games anymore. It’s going to be about whether or not he can be this type of helpful player for the younger guys.

“I think it’s naturally happened,” Drummond said of being a mentor. “I think it’s just my personality. I care about my teammates and I care about their success, especially guys that are five years and below. It’s hard, you know, especially with the team that we have, too. With all the talent that we have, too. So, it’s easy to fall into that space of not being happy with what you have going on, because you have so much talent on this team.”

Drummond knows the ropes of the NBA. He knows that there are some players who will need to understand that just because a player is talented doesn’t mean they are going to be in the rotation consistently. However, when their number is called, that player has to be ready.

“I rate it by myself to tell these guys, like, listen like your number is going to be called,” he finished. “You’re here for a reason. Just stay prepared. Stay ready, and when your number is called, do what you’re supposed to do and go out there and play to the best of your ability.”