\u201cThey don\u2019t hate each other. I hated Larry and every Celtic\u2026 now everybody\u2019s shaking each other\u2019s hand\u2026 there\u2019s a reason why the number, viewership is going down.\u201d Earlier this year, Magic Johnson blamed lack of rivalries for the decline in NBA\u2019s ratings. Of course, more rivalries mean more storylines that keep fans invested and glued to their screens. There is a growing belief that NBA is gradually losing that charm.<\/p>\n
So, everyone was ecstatic when two former rivals, Cooper Flagg and VJ Edgecombe, were selected not too far apart in last month\u2019s draft. There was hope that their high school beef would carry over to the pros, making for great television. But is there truly bad blood between them? Guess not, as the 76ers rookie spilled the beans on Paul George\u2019s podcast, \u201cIt\u2019s a friendly rivalry. Off the court, we\u2019re close. Like we\u2019re close, but on the court we\u2019re competing. We both competitors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Well, the speculations of their beef began when a clip of VJ and Cooper trash talking during Montverde vs Long Island Lutheran went viral. \u201cYou not like that\u201d said Edgecombe to this year\u2019s first overall pick, and Flagg later responded by yelling, \u201cPut his a\u2014in jail\u201d after a tough bucket. Two top prospects going at each other immediately caught everyone\u2019s attention. However, VJ clarified in the interview that the interaction was blown out of proportion.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reason why he said that, people thought he said it because \u2018Oh, he thinks I\u2019m bad or something\u2019 like nah, I stepped over him. He was on the floor. He got like the last shot of the third quarter. And walking to my bench, I see him on the floor and I just walked over him. That\u2019s why.\u201d VJ revealed. The Sixers rookie claims that the cameraman dragged it more than he needed to. He continued, \u201cI understand, it\u2019s for clicks. Got like a million views on it.\u201d<\/p>\n