Tyrese Maxey Ranked Among Top Young Stars in NBA
From the moment Tyrese Maxey fell the Philadelphia 76ers at pick 21 of the 2020 draft, many believed he was arguably the biggest steal of the night. Now in his fourth season, the young guard is proving to be one of the top rising stars in the entire league.
Every year, ESPN puts out a list of the top 25 players under the age of 25. Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic came in at the top spot. Falling just outside the top ten was Maxey at No. 11.
Maxey has been a hard worker from the moment he entered the league, and it's allowed him to develop at a rapid pace. Even playing alongside star-level players like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and James Harden, he's managed to evolve his game over the years.
With the Harden saga fully behind the Sixers, Maxey is cemented as the No. 2 option behind Embiid moving forward. His trainer, Drew Hanlen, set high expectations this year, and the 23-year-old is living up to them to open the regular season.
Not only is Maxey scoring the ball at a high rate, but he continues to grow as a playmaker. In the Sixers' most recent victory over the Washington Wizards, he dished out a career-high 11 assists. Following that outing, his averages for the year sit at 25.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 7.3 APG.
The names ahead of Maxey on the top 25 under 25 list are top draft picks who've had some form of success in their career. Aside from Doncic, some of the other notable names are Anthony Edwards (No. 2), Tyrese Haliburton (No. 4), Darius Garland (No. 8), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (No. 10). 2023 top pick Victor Wembanyama was also featured on the list, coming in at No. 3.
Maxey was a player a lot of people picked to have a breakout year this season, and he's lived up to the hype thus far. With the chance to be a top option on a nightly basis, he's proven he can be a pillar for the franchise now and in the foreseeable future.
