Tyrese Maxey has become one of the most promising young players in the NBA thanks to his impressive performances with the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite his young age, the guard hasn’t run away from any challenge, becoming the third-string of the squad behind Joel Embiid and James Harden.
The Sixers are now trying to tie their second-round series against the Miami Heat after suffering a terrible defeat in Game 5. Maxey hopes to step up and help his teammates in a duel that might be personal for him.
Two years ago, when he was entering the league, Tyrese hoped that three teams drafted him, but none of them actually picked him. Instead, he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers, which was a terrific decision for both parties. One of the teams that Maxey thought would select him was the Heat, and he hasn’t forgotten that yet.
“I thought Miami would take me at No. 20,” Maxey told Yahoo Sports. “Look, I was blessed and happy to be drafted, first and foremost. I thank the Lord every day for this opportunity. It was my dream to be drafted. But also looking at it as a competitor, I felt like I was good enough to be drafted at a higher position. When teams pass up on you, you never forget about it.”
He also mentioned the other two teams he believed would pick him and ultimately didn’t.
“Miami, Orlando and San Antonio. Those were the three teams I thought would draft me,” Maxey said. “When I started slipping, I was upset, but I kept reminding myself that my dream of getting drafted was coming true.”
Tyrese is trying to help his team win and prove doubters wrong. He’s a terrific talent and can help the Sixers in the future, even taking over James Harden if the former MVP doesn’t meet the expectations around him. The Sixers found a gem in Maxey and even though the Heat are fine without him, one wonders if they think they made a mistake when they didn’t draft Tyrese Maxey.
