Why Tyrese Maxey is Confident as Ever Going Into Third Season
Tyrese Maxey entered the NBA during a strange time. Coming off his freshman season at Kentucky in 2020, Maxey went to the pros without a typical professional offseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After getting selected 21st overall by the Sixers, Maxey’s first offseason as a rookie was quickly impacted as the young guard tested positive for COVID at the start of training camp.
While Maxey wasn’t off the floor for long after having his start delayed, the young guard still didn’t have a defined role in Philadelphia. Considering the Sixers employed veteran guards such as Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Shake Milton, Maxey’s role was unclear in 2020.
At first, that was the case at the start of Maxey’s sophomore effort as well. Coming into the 2021-2022 season, Maxey was rumored to be getting a shot at Philly’s starting point guard position due to Ben Simmons’ absence.
After a strong preseason showing, Maxey earned the opportunity to start for the 76ers as Simmons’ holdout continued. And by the time the 76ers traded for James Harden midway through the season, Maxey’s progress convinced his coaches to keep him in the lineup to play alongside the ten-time All-Star.
After garnering some consideration for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award as he averaged 17 points and four assists while knocking down 42 percent of his threes last year, Maxey was viewed as a sure starter going into his third season.
With Maxey knowing his role ahead of the 2022-2023 run, the young guard felt much more comfortable going into training camp this offseason.
“This training camp was huge for me because this is my first year coming into camp knowing exactly what my role is on the team,” said Maxey. “My first year, I was a rookie, and I didn’t know what to expect. My second year, we had a lot going on, and I got thrown into a starting role. I always said I’ll be ready for whatever coach Doc throws at me, but this third year I know exactly what my role is. I know exactly how to help my team win.”
Maxey’s talent was always evident to the Sixers, but nobody could guess he would develop as quickly as he did. After proving he belongs in 74 starts and even boosting his production in 12 playoff games, Maxey is confident as ever as he approaches another year.
“I just feel confident because of the work that I put in. I’m confident in myself,” he explained. “I’m confident in my teammates, and they’re confident in me. As long as you have that pedigree, that championship pedigree, working on defense, and working on communication. I’m just here to help us win. I don’t care about anything else. Whatever I can do to help us win, that’s what I do.”
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
