Tyrese Maxey Sounds Off on Role Next to Sixers’ Joel Embiid and James Harden

James Harden, Joel Embiid

Getty James Harden and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers

Despite being a third-year player, Tyrese Maxey has been designated as the Philadelphia 76ers‘ third banana next to stars Joel Embiid and James Harden. While talking with Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Maxey reflected on what it’s like to play in that role.

“Even when I miss, I can’t get timid,” Maxey told Mizell. “I can’t get scared. Being out there with Jo and James, Tobias [Harris], those guys cause a lot of attention, and they need space. They need people to knock down shots. They need people to shoot shots extremely fast and get them off.”

Head coach Doc Rivers told Mizell that he urges Maxey to not think about what he has to do on the court and simply do it.

“What I tell him is, ‘Don’t think. Just go be aggressive. I want me to tell you to stop shooting, not me ever to tell you to shoot,’” Rivers said, per Mizell.

Maxey also revealed what it’s like to have someone like Embiid believe in him as a player.

“When the best player in the world, probably, believes in you,” Maxey said, “and you believe in yourself, you’re good against the world.”

Maxey will have the chance to prove how good he is when the Sixers start their playoff run against the Brooklyn Nets on April 15.


Tyrese Maxey Called a ‘Max Guy’

An NBA general manager told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney that the Sixers will have to pay up for Maxey because he deserves it.

“They have a lot of big contracts they’re dealing with obviously,” the GM told Deveney. “But they’re going to have to make him another one. He’s a max guy.”

The GM added that Maxey has played well enough that the Sixers see him as a possible face of the franchise down the line.

“The guy is a culture-setter. He works hard, he is relentless. He has fit in with whoever they put him with, that is not easy to do in this league. Moving forward, they want him to be a face-of-the-franchise kind of guy. He has the talent. They have the belief in him. It is only a matter of time, really,” the GM said.

An Eastern Conference executive told Deveney that his improvements and work ethic will give him the leverage to command a max contract from the Sixers.

“They might have thought there was room to negotiate there,” the exec said. “But look at what the guy has done. He’s gotten better at every turn, his work ethic is really, really amazing from everyone around him. That’s what stands out. This guy is only getting better. Probably, there’s no negotiation, they’re going to have to max him out.”


Tyrese Maxey Praises James Harden For Mentorship

Maxey told Jackson Frank of Uproxx that he’s learned a lot from Harden since the two became teammates last season.

“I’ve learned a lot from James,” Maxey said. “He’s been great. He’s been great on and off the court. On the court, for sure, he’s taught me so many different things. He’s taught me to be confident. He’s taught me to be myself. He’s just really helped me be someone who can go out there every single night and perform at the highest level, and help our team win.”

Maxey added that Harden told him that his goal was to help him get better as a player and not hurt his progress.

“He still helps with confidence, as far as telling me that he’s here to help me. He said that from day one. He said he wouldn’t be here to hinder my progress. He’s gonna only be here to help and I think he’s done that, man. He’s kinda taken me under his wing and helped me be successful, even more successful than I was before.”