LeBron James is a legend, but Tyrese Maxey is a superstar. That is the level of ambition these Philadelphia 76ers are targeting this summer, a team that also features Joel Embiid, their franchise cornerstone for years, and Jaylen Brown, who would love to become that after being traded from Boston.
With that scene in mind, they met the media on the traditional pre-training camp day, an occasion in which Maxey made clear that the enormous individual success he has enjoyed in past seasons does not clash with recognizing that his present role is a teammate-first one, erasing any hint of ego.
“I’ve reached a point where I’ve already shown what I’m capable of in terms of talent. Of course I’ll keep getting better, but I want to be judged by victories. If we win, I want to be evaluated by that. That’s really my mindset and my main objective: to find a way to win.”
It’s worth noting that while there was talk about Embiid’s availability due to physical issues, Maxey has been selected for the All-Star Game twice in the last three seasons and comes off a campaign in which he averaged 28.3 points per game. Yet the 25-year-old point guard makes it clear that the focus now is to contribute as much as possible to the team.
“As I’ve taken on so many different roles, I’m capable of doing many different things. I believe that will be positive for both me and the team. I can play with the ball in my hands or without it. I can run in transition, catch and shoot, take advantage of indirect screens and execute the pick-and-roll… I’ll play the way the team needs me to play. Whatever the coach wants, that’s how I’ll play.”
Tyrese Maxey and the star trio
Rarely does a gathering of stars occur like the one we’ll see in this 2026-27 season for the Philadelphia organization. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Maxey was asked how he envisions each of his teammates—LeBron, Jaylen, and Embiid—Here are his answers.
“LeBron is like an older brother to me. He’s a veteran… He’s a good guy. He’s a good guy… Joel looks incredible. He looks happy… When you’re healthy, happy, and at peace with your life and with basketball, that’s when you’re at your best. He’s been great.”
And he finishes with Brown: “Physically, JB is a natural phenomenon. He’s simply stronger than you. He jumps higher than you. He’s faster than you and he’s incredibly talented. Those are the things you see every day. I think what has stood out to me the most so far is his communication and his readiness to shoulder defensive responsibilities; basically, doing whatever the coach needs of him at the moment,” he asserts.
