The arrival of LeBron James has transformed the Philadelphia 76ers into one of the season’s biggest attractions and, without a doubt, the major experiment ahead.
The accumulation of talent is undeniable; the physical volatility of several of its members is as well. And then there’s the murmur about how they will silence the feared ghosts on the court: who will effectively run the point, how the shots will be shared, and to what extent so many stars will be willing to sacrifice protagonism for the common good.
Many of these questions revolve directly around the two-time All-Star who, alongside Brown, is closest to what could be his prime as a basketball player: Tyrese Maxey. After shining as the 76ers’ offensive leader last season (28.6 points), the guard will now have to distribute attention and share the ball with LeBron, Embiid, Brown, and VJ Edgecombe.
In an interview given to HoopsHype during an event organized by New Balance, Maxey speaks openly about the sharing of responsibilities, the absence of a hierarchy for the final shots, and the condition he deems indispensable for the project not to founder in its own waters: “No one on this team can have an ego.”
He also revisits his growth as a player and leader, the injuries that tested his resilience, and the launch of the ‘Maxey v1’, his first sneakers with an exclusive design.
Q: Which aspects of your game did you use as motivation to prove your level?
A: I think the main things I wanted to prove were my leadership, my ability to create plays, and my defense. I believe I’m a good defender and that I can cause a lot of chaos and disrupt many plays. I can block shots, steal balls, do that kind of thing, and hold my own in one-on-one situations.
Additionally, there are my leadership qualities. I try to become better every day and to encourage my teammates. And then there’s the playmaking. In recent years I’ve managed to draw a lot of defensive attention, and now it’s about driving to the basket, generating plays for others, and creating scoring chances for everyone.
Q: Was there a moment when you truly thought you could become one of the NBA’s best players?
A: Yes. In my rookie season, in my tenth game, we played the Nuggets. I started for the first time and scored 39 points. Then I thought, “Maybe I’m capable of doing something special in this league.”
Then I continued to grow. The moments became increasingly significant and I kept believing in myself. I have worked a lot to reach where I am, and I still try to keep improving.
Q: All of that ties back to confidence. How do you pass it on to young players who haven’t yet experienced it?
The confidence is fundamental. Having confidence is incredibly important because if you don’t believe in yourself, it will be very hard to perform at the highest level. You have to trust yourself.
As a basketball player, the ball won’t always go in, but you must have enough confidence to take the next shot. As Michael Jordan said, you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. If you’ve worked on it, you should have all the possible confidence.
Q: Do you feel extra pressure after all the moves the team has made?
I work a lot, so I really don’t feel that kind of pressure, you know what I mean? The pressure I have is self-imposed, because I work very hard and do many different things to try to improve every day. External noise doesn’t affect me much.
Q: Have the Sixers established a hierarchy to decide who takes the final shot?
A: I think it will depend on the situation. We have confidence in many different players. People want to say that VJ is our fifth option, but last season he took on many decisive shots and converted many of them.
There were times when I faced a two-on-one against me or against Joel Embiid and we had to pass the ball to VJ to take the shot. They’ll be different players. We’ll see how it works and how everything flows.
The most important thing is that no one on this team can have an ego. We have two players who have been regular-season MVPs, two who have won Finals MVP, several Olympic champions, several players who have averaged more than 25 points per game, All-Stars and members of the NBA’s best quintets. We have all achieved quite a bit. That’s why we must put the ego aside and do it collectively.
Q: You’ve spoken before about having to sacrifice some shots and possessions. In what aspect do you want to improve even with less ball handling?
A: The main thing I want to improve is my consistency and staying in the rhythm of the game. Also my ability to create plays for others. I’ve tried to do this more with each season, but now I feel I can take it to an even higher level.
And I also want to keep driving to the basket. All these players pose threats and generate pressure on the defense, just like me, so it should be a lot of fun.
Q: What was the principal lesson you learned from that bad season?
A: Patience. I think I suffered three injuries that year. They weren’t particularly serious, but they were persistent, lingering discomforts. They didn’t want me playing with them because they could worsen.
I love playing basketball, so I had to be patient and miss some games I wanted to play, even though I probably shouldn’t have. The medical staff had my best interests in mind.
I also had to learn to cope mentally with losses. It was the first time in my life that I lost in that way, stringing one defeat after another. I promised myself it wouldn’t happen again.
Q: What do you consider the most underrated aspect of your game?
A: My shooting. My ability to catch and shoot and my three-point shooting are probably among the most underrated aspects of my game.
Then there’s my defense. I’m competitive on the other end, I can make stops, I’m very good at stealing the ball, blocking shots, and doing different things. I also consider that part of my game underrated.
Q: What did you think when you first saw the Maxey v1, your first exclusive sneakers?
R: The first thing I thought was something like, “Wow.” I was surprised and felt very grateful. For me, it’s a blessing and a dream come true to have sneakers with your name that people can buy, wear, and support. I’m very grateful for it.
