NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 20: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers warms up before game one of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on April 20, 2024 in New York City.
Tyrese Maxey has worn a lot of hats for the Sixers. He was thrown in the deep end early with all of the Ben Simmons drama forcing him onto the court earlier than the Sixers may be planned. Then James Harden came into town, then later fled town.
All of that drama forced Maxey into a lot of different roles. To his credit, he stepped up to the plate every time. Were there struggles? Sure. But he never stopped working on it. Now it has paid off, with the Sixers giving him a Max Deal. Now his role is finally set in stone. He is star number 2, right up there on the big stage with Joel Embiid.
Tyrese Maxey joined Mid-Days with Bob Cooney on Tuesday, just after the Sixers held a press conference to officially announce his Max Deal. One of the things he talked about was all the roles he had to this point in his career.
“I had to do so many different things. In my 2nd year, I had to fill in for Ben. Then we brought in James and I had to change my role to be off-ball. Had to learn that. Now I had to come back to being a primary ball handler, and the co-star to Embiid. I had a different path. But I worked extremely hard to be able to do a little of everything.”
"Once you learn who you want to be, and what you want to be in the league, the sky is the limit."
A big reason Maxey is the player he is now is the fact he kept rising to the occasion. He got his 1st real shot at playing time because of Ben Simmons refusing to play. Maxey could have fumbled that moment, forcing the Sixers to adapt. But he did as well as you could possibly expect.
Maxey is not a natural PG. But he held the flood doors closed. That whole Ben Simmons situation could have been a disaster. Maxey prevented it from being one. He gave the Sixers the luxury of patience. They didn’t have to make a desperate move early in the season for a PG, because Maxey was holding down the fort.
As he mentioned, once they did get Harden, his role changed again. He now was off the ball. Once again, he stepped up. Maxey played some of the basketball of his career to that point. It was our first hint that he could be more than a role player, he could be a star.
With Harden running the offense, Maxey became one of the best 3pt shooters in the league. The Harden situation went south though. Like Ben Simmons, he forced his way out.
To complicate last season even more, Embiid missed a ton of time. Once again Maxey was thrust into a new situation. He had to be THE star. Also once again, he stepped up. Maxey had his 1st All-Star season and finished 13th in points per game.
That is why the Sixers paid him. That is why when they signed Paul George, it wasn’t just to pair with Embiid, but the Sixers said it was to pair with Embiid and Maxey. He is on that level now.
Maxey continued from there and said something I think perfectly encapsulates him as a player.
“Once you learn who you want to be, and what you want to be in the league, the Sky is the limit.”
Now Maxey knows who he is, as do we, as do the Sixers, and as does the league. If they didnt know, they learned in game 5 against the Knicks. The Sixers may have lost that series, but not because of Maxey.
Maxey has gone through many roles. But now he just has one role. Super Star.
Bob Cooney has been a part of the Philadelphia sports scene for more years than he wants to admit after 25 years in print media, and now in his seventh year at The Fanatic. Throughout the years, he has covered all sports from the World Series, multiple Final Fours and Regional Finals in men’s college basketball, to the U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club and the 76ers. He takes his sports media knowledge and background to a new level by joining a conversation with the passionate fans of this great city. He writes about the Sixers, Eagles, Flyers, and Phillies for the Fanatic.
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