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Heading into this season, many expected Tyrese Maxey to take on a bigger role for the Philadelphia 76ers. Based on the flashes he showed as a rookie, it was clear the Sixers had a gem fall into their lap on draft night 2020.
After seeing how the offseason played out for the Sixers, signs pointed towards Maxey becoming the team's backup point guard. Daryl Morey did not sign any ballhandlers in free agency, paving a way for the young guard to be a spark plug for Doc Rivers' second unit. Following an unfortunate series of events in the summer, the 21-year-old was thrust into a much larger position.
With Ben Simmons taking a hiatus from the Sixers in hopes of getting a change of scenery, Rivers had a gaping hole to fill in his starting lineup. Due to a lack of ballhandlers on the roster, he had minimal choices on who would replace the three-time All-Star in the backcourt. This led to Maxey becoming the Sixers' new full-time point guard.
Maxey never backed down from a challenge before and had no intentions of starting now. This transition would be a work in progress, but having two former NBA point guards on the coaching staff has made it easier. Rivers and assistant coach Sam Cassell are constantly working with Maxey to help grow his capabilities as a floor general.
His point guard play has been up-and-down, but Maxey continues to show nice flashes. Thursday night against the Lakers, he dished a career-high ten assists en route to his first double-double as a pro. Following the Sixers' nail-biting win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, Maxey opened up on his growing comfort at point guard.
14 PTS | 10 AST
☑️ first career double-double for @TyreseMaxey. pic.twitter.com/zMeYia807D
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 28, 2022
“I think as the season comes along, the thing I've really worked on and gotten a lot better at is being more vocal,” said Maxey. “I feel like they hear me now. The team, they hear me. I feel like we have mutual respect to where when I say something, they understand. And when I call a play or different things like that, it's been great. I appreciate them, and they have my back.”
The second-year guard is not the only one to take notice of his newfound confidence running the offense. Joel Embiid has also enjoyed the way Maxey has grown more vocal and being a leader on the court.
“It might now show up on the box score, be he's been getting better as a point guard. Just running the team. A lot of things don't show up on the box score, but you can see on the floor he's become,” Embiid said postgame Thursday. “He's learning every single day just calling plays, getting us into sets, getting guys where they should be. I think it's cool. I've just been excited to be a part of it.”
Maxey embraced this new role with open arms, and the results are speaking for themselves. He prides himself on constantly working to improve as a player, and it has allowed him to take a big step forward in his development. This growing comfort at point guard is a huge positive for the Sixers, as Maxey has become an essential piece in the lineup.
