It’s not unreasonable to say that Tyrese Maxey saved this generation of Philadelphia 76ers basketball. Few players coming as low in the Draft as 21st overall reach All-Star status in their early 20s. The fact that Maxey did so while still on his rookie contract helped plug glaring holes in roster construction; In particular, Tobias Harris was paid near-maximum money to do things like score zero points in 29 minutes of a playoff elimination game.
Without Maxey in the fold, it’s easy to imagine a scenario where Joel Embiid becomes frustrated with the organization’s past mistakes and lack of progress and asks to leave Philadelphia. Suddenly, the Sixers would be back in basketball purgatory. Instead, because Tyrese is constantly working to improve (see this year’s Most Improved Player Award) and be an individual of outstanding character (see this year’s Sportsmanship Award), Joel is excited about their association for at least a year. least the next half decade. Sixers fans still have reason to be hopeful.
Still, as fans or people who primarily cover a team, it’s easy to overrate “our guys.” Looking at The Ringer’s ‘next generation’ rankings released today, national opinion seems to be in line with how we feel about Maxey. The Sixers’ star guard is sixth on the list, which comprises what is considered the 25 best NBA players aged 25 and under.
Here’s the excerpt about Maxey from Zach Kram:
“Reason for hope: In the most basic terms, the ideal point guard can shoot, score, and pass without turning the ball over, and Maxey checks each of those boxes. His speed is exciting, he has a magnetic personality and isn’t afraid to try bold shots at clutch time. What more could you ask for from a rising young guard?
Reason for doubt: What is Maxey without Joel Embiid? The 76ers fell in the standings after Embiid’s midseason injury, even when Maxey was still healthy. And, against the Knicks in the first round, the 76ers were outscored by a whopping 46 points in 44 minutes when Maxey played without his MVP teammate. That doesn’t mean Maxey is a scrub, but it does suggest that his scrub is a sidekick rather than a lead act.
Bold prediction: Maxey will finish his 76ers career with more 50-point games than Allen Iverson. AI scored 10 50-pointers in Philadelphia, the second most in franchise history (behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 11). But Maxey scored three alone this season, in his first real opportunity to take as many shots as he wanted. There are obvious era effects here, and if the NBA continues to shift emphasis from refs to reducing scoring, then 50-point games won’t be as easy, but Maxey is in a good groove for now. —Kram
The five players above Maxey are Tyrese Haliburton, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards and then Victor Wembanyama. That’s a list of MVP candidates, the best players from teams still competing in the Conference Finals and a first overall pick of generational talent who just became the first rookie to make the All-Defensive First Team. And Tyrese Maxey is right behind them!
Maxey’s meteoric trajectory would have been dismissed as Grade A fan copium if you had predicted it a couple of years ago. The craziest part is that with Tyrese’s work ethic and his desire to improve, we all believe he still has additional levels to unlock. It will be incredibly exciting to see how this young man’s future unfolds.
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