Getty Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers.
What a difference one year can make for a basketball team. Just look at the Philadelphia 76ers as a clear example of how quickly a team’s future outlook can change.
One year ago, the biggest Sixers story revolved around Ben Simmons and his desire to get out of town fast. Discussions of the Sixers in the Finals and Joel Embiid’s renewed MVP race, all of it played second fiddle to the distraction that was the end of Simmons’ Sixers tenure. But one year later, Simmons is long gone and in his place stepped Tyrese Maxey.
The former Kentucky Wildcat had an excellent sophomore season with the Sixers last year. His shooting was strong (42.7% from three), but it’s his open-court electricity that is must-see television. His speed is blinding; blink and you quite literally might miss him. And it’s that quickness that led Sixers assistant and former Kings head coach Dave Joerger to compare Maxey to one of his former players in Sacramento.
“Dave Joerger says Tyrese Maxey reminds him, from a speed perspective, of De’Aaron Fox, his former point guard in Sacramento, and that he believes Maxey is one of the three or four fastest players in the league,” Tim Bontemps of ESPN tweeted.
Dave Joerger says Tyrese Maxey reminds him, from a speed perspective, of De’Aaron Fox, his former point guard in Sacramento, and that he believes Maxey is one of the three or four fastest players in the league.
Fox is renowned for his blinding speed and athleticism. But a closer look at the two players reveals stark contrasts between the two Big Blue standouts.
Comparing Fox to Maxey: Offensive Numbers
Given Joerger’s comments, a quick comparison is in order.
In Sacramento, Fox has been the lead playmaker on offensive initiator for the Kings since the Cali club selected him fifth in the 2017 draft. Maxey, on the other hand, has never been asked to be Philadelphia’s leading man, be it at guard or otherwise.
With Embiid on the roster, much of the offense is focused on feeding the Sixers’ big man and getting him going. And when Simmons shared the floor with Maxey, the former was the undisputed playmaker, setting up the offense to flow through Embiid. The same was true when Harden arrived in February.
Thus it’s no surprise that Fox’s 6.2 career assists per game are almost double Maxey’s 3.2. And Fox’s 21.4 points per 36 minutes is a shade higher than Maxey’s 18.1. But while Fox might be a better traditional point guard, Maxey’s stronger shooting rates (39.6% from deep compared to Fox’s 32%) speaks to his role as primarily a floor spacer and secondary initiator.
Further, Maxey could be headed for a title that has eluded Fox throughout his career to date.
Tyrese Maxey in Line for First All-Star Selection
Maxey’s strong preseason start should be but a preview of what’s to come from the Sixers star. No, he probably won’t continue shooting 79% from the field during the entire season, but the early showing suggests an All-Star nod could be in his future. Over the summer, NBC Sports’ Michael Kaskey-Blomain tabbed the Sixers star as one of five players who could earn their first All-Star selection next season.
“Maxey has an unrelenting work ethic, and if he continues to develop there will likely be several All-Star selections in his future,” Kaskey-Blomain wrote.
If Maxey cements his place as the third cog in Philadelphia’s “Big Three” and the Sixers get off to a fast start, it might be hard to deny Maxey’s place in the midseason festivities.