Tyrese Maxey Praises Sixers' Veteran Leadership Influence

Over the offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers saw a plethora of players return to the team, such as Kelly Oubre Jr and Andre Drummond, who came way of player options in their contracts, or Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry, who resigned on one-year deals.

Both of the latter-named players are coming back, not only as players, but as veteran leaders on a team that is in no short supply of young players, with the likes of VJ Edgecombe, Justin Edwards, Adem Bona, Jared McCain, and Johni Broome, amongst others, occupying spots on the roster.

Lowry's influence on Tyrese Maxey's leadership ability

Tyrese Maxey and Kyle Lowry talk on the court. — Nov 2, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) talks with guard Kyle Lowry (7) during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

In a recent interview, Sixers’ star Tyrese Maxey talked about the influence that the aforementioned Lowry has had on him in the two seasons that they’ve played together, highlighting the Philadelphia native’s impact on his leadership ability.

"He's been great, Coach Lowry has been really good. I'm just messing around, but he's done a good job, he's been around, it's year 20, right?" Maxey explained after the Sixers' loss to the Orlando Magic on Friday night.

"Yeah, so he's been around for 20 years, he knows a lot, he's seen a lot, he's been really good for me, honestly, he's kinda pushed me to be the leader, he's our leader as in age and all that, but he's pushed me to be the vocal leader, to be the person out there in front and saying different things, and using my voice so I appreciate him for that."

Maxey has managed to become one of the leading voices in Philadelphia's locker room over the course of his six-year career, as it could be seen at the Sixers' media day earlier in the offseason when he discussed wanting to form an identity surrounding the team's style of play.

Kyle Lowry shoots over Stephen Curry. — Jan 2, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry (7) takes a three-point shot over Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

As Maxey explained, Lowry isn’t a spring chicken in the eyes of the NBA, with the upcoming season being his 20th year in the league. While his numbers are down from where they were when he first met with Nick Nurse as a part of the Toronto Raptors, he’s still been able to find consistent time on the court, averaging 3.9 points and 2.7 assists with the Sixers last season.

This year, he’ll have to fight alongside the likes of many of the previously mentioned players, as well as Quentin Grimes, Paul George, and Kelly Oubre, for playing time in the backcourt. It's also worth remembering that it isn't only his teammates who have highlighted his insight, as the 39-year-old was brought on as an analyst for NBA on Prime in the upcoming season.