Sixers Rookie Tyrese Maxey Remains Positive as his Minutes Diminish

The Philadelphia 76ers couldn't believe Tyrese Maxey fell to them in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft back in November. The young Kentucky guard who had a breakout season wasn't expected to drop to pick No. 21. Once he did, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey pounced on the opportunity to draft him.

Early on in the season, we found out why. Maxey flashed a lot of intriguing qualities throughout his first 24 games as a member of the Sixers. He has solid ball-handling skills, a fantastic floater, an improving jump shot, fearlessness, reliable defense, and a tireless work ethic.

What we also found out about Maxey through his first couple of months in the NBA is that he's a selfless player who is always positive no matter what the situation is. Recently, Maxey has been tested mentally. Despite being off to a solid start for his rookie year, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers has slowly moved away from consistently utilizing the rookie on a game-by-game basis.

In fact, Maxey didn't check into Tuesday night's game against the Sacramento Kings at all. It's not unusual for rookies to see their playing time go down throughout the year. After all, Sixers' second-year guard Matisse Thybulle was in a similar situation just a season ago under former 76ers head coach Brett Brown.

Some rookies might question their coach's decision to move away from them or get discouraged about it, but Maxey isn't of that breed. Knowing he's talented and a hard worker on a successful team stocked with experienced and high-caliber players, Maxey understands the situation.

Therefore, the rookie guard is just rolling with the punches and playing his part. “I feel like we’re winning, and I’m doing whatever it takes to help my team by cheering them on and helping them get better in practice,” Maxey said on Thursday. “If that’s my role, then that’s what I’m gonna take on and help my team through it.”

Maxey isn't limited to just riding the pine for now. As injuries continue to pile up for the Sixers this year, Maxey will likely be near the front of the line to pick up minutes at the guard position if somebody goes down. While losing playing time can be soul-crushing for some, Maxey remains positive.

“Confidence comes with work,” the rookie stated. “I work extremely hard. I’m always in the gym, so my confidence will always be high. I have no lack of confidence at all.” The young rookie's positive mindset will go a long way as the year, and as his career progresses as he's established himself as a true team player.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_