Justin Edwards accomplished quite a bit for the Imhotep Charter boys’ basketball team while donning his No. 3 jersey. From winning a state title to playing in the McDonald’s All-American game, which is why head coach Andre Noble felt that it was only right to keep that number sacred to the now 21-year-old Sixers forward.
“His career was amazing,” Noble said Thursday night after Imhotep’s 76-60 win over West Philadelphia. “His story of perseverance is just amazing for this community. Justin wasn’t like a blue-chip middle school kid. He was just a regular kid that came here and then worked really hard. … He was the No. 1 player in the country for a time. He had some tough times in college, but then to find himself and fight through [it] to get to the point where he is today, it’s not shocking.”
It was shocking, however, when Edwards’ former coach informed him that the program would be retiring his No. 3 high school jersey on Thursday. The 6-foot-6 forward was honored during halftime with a video projected off the walls of Andre Noble gymnasium. The video featured words of congratulations from Tyrese Maxey, who said to always remember, “You were the No. 1 player in the country for a reason.”
The video also had remarks from his former teachers and teammates, including UConn freshman Ahmad Nowell and Florida Gulf Coast sophomore Rahmir Barno. Edwards also had the support of the Sixers’ Joel Embiid and coach Nick Nurse, who surprised the rookie and cheered him on.
The two sat on the sidelines with Edwards, watching and chatting, till nearly the end of the game. He said “it means a lot” to see them show out on his behalf.
“I feel like everybody growing up as a kid has a dream of getting their jersey retired, so for me to be able to do that means a lot to me and my family,” Edwards said. “This program means a lot to me, I still talk to the teachers and coaches here. There’s a family atmosphere here.
“Without this school, who knows what I would be doing.”
As a senior, Edwards led the Panthers to a 30-3 record, the PIAA Class 5A state championship, and the Public League title. He averaged 17.9 points and 7.5 rebounds. He also was the first Public League player since 1993 to be selected as a McDonald’s All-American.
But of all the wins, he said, the most memorable one was when the team earned the City of Palms championship in 2022, becoming the first school in Pennsylvania history to do so.
And of all the relationships Edwards made at Imhotep, Noble stands out as a mentor and someone he still talks to everyday.
“He helped me through my good days and my bad days,” Edwards added. “He means a lot to me.”
Edwards went undrafted out of Kentucky, but has made his way into the Sixers rotation, as the team has dealt with a number of injuries, which has opened up more opportunities for him to get on the floor.
He signed a two-way contract on July 4, but the front office converted the deal to a standard NBA contract for the remainder of the season, with a team option for the 2025-26 season, on Feb. 8. He’s averaging 8.2 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 46.4% from the floor and 36.4% from deep in 25 games with nine starts.
“It just shows the work that I put in, honestly,” he said. “I feel that’s what it’s always been [about], trying to get my confidence back and go out there and do my best, it’s all I really can do.”
To top the night off, the Panthers improved to 20-5 on the season, advancing to the Public League semifinals, and earned their 100th home win. The last time the team lost at home was on Jan. 4, 2015, more than 10 years ago.
“I told these guys, it’s not just about you,” Noble said. “It’s about all the guys that wore these jerseys.”