Tyrese Maxey Takes in Everything during the Inaugural All-Star Game
Tyrese Maxey is an All-Star. Enjoy it, Sixers fans. It’s not often a homegrown talent turns into the type of player the electric guard has become.
Maxey rightfully soaked it all in this weekend in Indianapolis. Upon his arrival, he saw a Sixers legend he’s often compared to and himself on a billboard thanks to the folks at New Balance.
Just as we all expected, the weekend was full of wholesome moments for the 23-year-old. Maxey was sporting his signature smile, with a look of wonderment throughout All-Star practice on Friday.
To be frank, his run in the Skills Contest on All-Star Saturday night … didn’t go well. He was on Team All-Star with the Hawks’ Trae Young and Raptors’ Scottie Barnes. While they did manage to force a tiebreaker with the Pacers’ team made up of Tyrese Haliburton, Benedict Mathurin and Myles Turner, they took too long to make a half-court shot.
Of course, it was Maxey who hit the shot. Maxey concludes his pregame warmups with a half-court make — and he often makes the first one.
A pair of legends also showed Maxey love.
During media availability Saturday, two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant was asked about which players will carry the league forward once he and others have retired. The current Phoenix Sun listed Maxey amongst those young players:
Ahead of the actual game on Sunday night, LeBron James saw his fellow Klutch client. What a cool moment they shared.
Not sure what Maxey said to LeBron, but you heard LeBron respond with a “hell yeah.” What’s stood out about Maxey during his time in Philly is that his demeanor almost belies his competitiveness. Sure, he has fun and enjoys playing the game, but he wants to win and be great as much as anyone.
And the moment he’d been waiting for, being introduced as an All-Star.
Maxey finally checked in late in the first quarter (thanks, Doc Rivers). He drew the first foul of the game (Joel Embiid would be proud) and then nailed a corner three for his first bucket.
That triple gave the East a 53-47 lead heading into the second.
Maxey kept it going, getting a layup and nailing a deep three to give him 10 early points. He even locked up Steph Curry on the West’s final possession of the half.
A cool moment: Allen Iverson. Julius Erving. Now, Tyrese Maxey.
Maxey didn’t play at all in the third quarter. He likely told Rivers that he wanted to stay on the bench … right, Doc?
He was back out there to start the fourth, though it seemed like he was trying to play very selflessly. In classic Doc fashion, Damian Lillard came back out for a game in which his team held a 20-plus-point lead, essentially ending Maxey’s night.
He finished with 10 points, three rebounds and three assists in 17 minutes. Lillard took home the MVP, posting 39 points in the East’s 211-186 win over the West. If you didn’t watch the game … it was something.
Likely the first of many for Tyrese Maxey All-Star games — and he acquitted himself quite well. Now, he has to prepare for a difficult stretch without Embiid, starting with hosting the New York Knicks Thursday night.
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