Robert Covington Makes A Very Bold Comparison For Tyrese Maxey
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 12: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers at the Wells Fargo Center on November 12, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Tyrese Maxey is off to a hell of a start this season. He is top 10 in points per game, top 15 in assists per game, and is even playing much better defense. Most recently we got to see him go off for his first 50pt game against the Pacers. And it begs the question, are we seeing him blossom into a Super Star? We knew he was a good player. But what he has done so far this season goes beyond good, and into great. And when his teammate Robert Covington joined Andrew Salciunas this week, he made a very bold comparison for Tyrese Maxey.
“Tyrese is a growing superstar in this league. I’ve been watching Tyrese for years and have said he has the opportunity to be great. It is just a matter of him seizing that moment, and he has seized the moment… Trying to think of a player I would compare him to, I would say Dame.”
All this time we have been chasing the dream of the Sixers acquiring Damian Lillard, who knew he was already on the team. It’s a bold comparison, but at least through 3 games, not an inaccurate one.
For one Maxey has become just as deadly as Dame from deep. Maxey shot over 42% from deep in both of the last two seasons and is right there so far this year too. Despite the increased usage and shooting more 3s he continues to be as efficient as any other sharpshooter in the league. And while it is just regular season games, we are seeing some of that killer instinct Dame is known for in these first 9 games.
Maxey still has a long way to go before he can actually be in Dame’s class. Dame is a future Hall of Famer and we have seen him be that guy in the playoffs, even if the team around him was not good enough to win. But Maxey just being mentioned in that group is great to see.
You can listen to the full conversation with Robert Covington below:
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Is Tyrese Maxey Already The Sixers Second Superstar? Early Returns Say Yes
The Sixers’ number one priority has always been getting another superstar next to Joel Embiid. It was supposed to be Ben Simmons, but he never reached those heights. For a bit, it was James Harden, but he forced his way out because he didn’t like having to be a team player. And the question all offseason was who could the Sixers trade for that can be that second Superstar next to Embiid. Names like Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, and Zach Lavine have all been brought up at some point. But what if the answer is already on the team? Because in the first 9 games, Tyrese Maxey sure looks like a superstar.
Is it way too small of a sample size? Yes. 9 games is not enough to crown any player. But with all of that said, it has been a damn good 9 games. Including Sunday night where he put up 50 points on the Pacers, a new career high.
The good news is, the Sixers have plenty of time to figure out if this early season greatness is real or not. You cannot trade a player until 60 days after acquiring them. And any type of big trade they make will probably include at least some of the players they just acquired in the Harden deal. Harden was traded Oct 31st. So they would not be able to make any move until January anyway.
So over the next month and a half, the play of Maxey could have huge implications on what they need to do before the trade deadline. Because it Maxey is still playing like this, he is the second Superstar. And then you are looking for someone to complement the both of them. That player would not necessarily have to be an elite scorer. They just need to be another good player who fits into what the Sixers are currently doing.
Just how good has Tyrese Maxey been? Here are some of the numbers that make his case for being a Superstar:
Andrew Salciunas, “The Choonis,” has done it all at the station - screening calls, working events as a member of the street team, producing 7 days a week, doing updates, and now hosting his own show. Now with a wife and kid, his life experiences are far different than when he first started, but this “regular guy” knows how to relate to anyone. He writes about the Flyers, Phillies, Sixers, and Eagles.
