Tyrese Maxey stamped his rise to stardom in the 2023-24 NBA season. The Philadelphia 76ers guard became an All-Star, won the Most Improved Player award and played really well in Philly's first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks. The Sixers star has earned and will keep earning a ton of praise for the improvements he made in his already incredible game.

On the Mind the Game podcast, JJ Redick and LeBron James gushed over Maxey and what he did for the 76ers this past season. Redick commended Maxey for his unreal speed and ability to change up how quickly he attacks, saying that defenses “can’t get a hold of him”

“He constantly plays with a bounce to his step,” Redick said. “Sometimes the bounces are slower, sometimes they're faster and then when he wants to turn on the jets, he turns on the jets.”

Redick explained that, even in the playoffs, two defenders can struggle to stay in front of Maxey. The 76ers guard has always been a speedster but did a great job of harnessing and choosing when to unleash his speed this season, making him much more capable of creating his own shots and shots for others. He also improved as a finisher, making his speed even more dangerous because he could finish layups over or around taller defenders.

“And the motherf**ker don’t get tired,” James added to Redick's point. “He don’t get tired. I mean, I watched that [Game 5] last night. I think he played 50 minutes. Hurt his elbow at one point. Turned his ankle at one point. Hit the ground numerous times. Tried to go in the lane and dunk on two guys, get it blocked, get back up. Like you said, you can’t get a hold of him cause he don’t get tired, you know? He just don’t get tired.”

Maxey's Game 5 performance in the Sixers' series against the Knicks will be remembered fondly for his end-of-regulation heroics that forced overtime, where Philly ended up winning. He played nearly 52 minutes and recorded 46 points, nine assists and five rebounds. James loved what he was watching from the young star that he had a stream of good things to say about over the years.

After a November game between the Sixers and James' Los Angeles Lakers, Maxey shared a story about how James showed up for a morning practice an hour early, surprising Maxey and underscoring his unreal dedication to basketball. Maxey has always prided himself on getting at least a little bit better every day, so seeing James exemplifying that to an insane degree really resonated with him.

LeBron James' praise for Tyrese Maxey is not a unique thing, as he has had plenty of good things to say about Maxey and other players before. But it's sure to catch some more eyes now that James is likely heading into free agency and the Sixers have enough cap space for a max contract. If James wants to keep winning, teaming up with Maxey and Joel Embiid — who he will get the chance to play with on Team USA at this summer's Olympic Games — is one solid option.