Tyrese Maxey is out of commission right now for the Philadelphia 76ers due to a finger injury, which will keep him sidelined for at least three weeks.
The timing has been awful, as the 76ers are holding on for dear life to avoid the Play-In Tournament. Aside from Maxey, Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Kelly Oubre Jr. are also out.
While he is recovering from his finger injury, Maxey took the time to guest on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” where he talked about playing in the NBA and not being afraid of going up against superstars like LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Maxey and James, who are both handled by Klutch Sports, have developed a close bond after working out together in the offseason. The 25-year-old Maxey shared a funny story about it, which left Fallon amused, to say the least.
“He's (James) actually somebody who became close to me. In the summertime, we have this little thing, where we work out at six o'clock in the morning,” said Maxey.
“So the first time it happened, I got there at 5:45, 5:40. I was there before him. Then he gets there at 5:30, and I tried to get there at 5:15. The last time, he got there at five. When I got there, he was in a full sweat. I was like, ‘You know what, you win.'”
.@TyreseMaxey and @KingJames try to one-up each other by seeing who arrives earlier to a workout 🤣 #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/HXtJoQhvWg
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) March 25, 2026
The work ethic of the 41-year-old James is legendary. The proof is clear: His longevity. There have been numerous stories about how the four-time MVP takes care of his body.
Working out with younger guys like Maxey and Jalen Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks probably gives James extra motivation to keep up.
It has also benefited Maxey, who is enjoying another stellar campaign, earning his second nod to the All-Star Game. He is also on track to be named to the All-NBA Team for the first time.
