Bucks’ Doc Rivers Recalls Proud Moment for Tyrese Maxey Last Year

Milwaukee Bucks head coach discussed Tyrese Maxey on Wednesday.

Feb 25, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) and head coach Doc Rivers against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

During Doc Rivers’ first season as the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, he coached a rookie guard out of Kentucky, Tyrese Maxey.

As the Sixers’ first-round pick in 2020, Maxey entered the organization with high expectations but limited opportunities right away.

Maxey was a reserve in most matchups, making 61 appearances throughout the 2020-2021 season. While he appeared in 12 matchups during the playoffs, Maxey averaged just 13 minutes on the court. His role was minimal, but it wasn’t due to the Sixers’ lack of belief in the 20-year-old.

Joel Embiid, one of Maxey’s biggest supporters since the start, always saw something in Maxey. Doc Rivers reiterated that notion on Wednesday ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks-Philadelphia 76ers matchup.

Mar 27, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) with head coach Doc Rivers against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“I think Jo saw it pretty early,” said the Bucks head coach. “I mean, we did. We believed in it early.”

Entering the NBA, Maxey’s size and three-point shooting was a question mark. He did well in his rookie season, but the questions were still there after Maxey averaged eight points on 30 percent shooting from deep.

By year two, the young guard started to erase all doubt. What the Sixers’ coaching staff and players saw in practice started to translate to the game.

“You guys don’t get the chance to see him shoot in the gym [in practice],” Rivers added. “That’s where coaches, we see guys every day. For a while, I couldn’t imagine how he’s missing. I remember his rookie year in games where I’m like, ‘Gosh, he never misses.’ Now, he never misses. I think Jo was really early on that, to be honest.”

Doc Rivers slipped Maxey into the Sixers’ starting lineup in 2021 as the team needed a replacement for the absent Ben Simmons. Maxey averaged 18 points on 43 percent shooting from three in 75 games, confirming he was ready to take the next step. During Rivers’ final season in charge, Maxey produced 20 points per game on 43 percent shooting from three.

Last season, Maxey played for Nick Nurse for the first time. Once again, he had a career-best campaign, putting up 26 points per game while dishing out six assists per outing. He was the NBA’s Most Improved Player recipient and a first-time All-Star.

In the eyes of Rivers from afar, what’s the difference?

“Confidence,” the head coach revealed. “Just keep growing. He’s young, and he’s just going to keep getting better. Taking the next step. I thought last year, he was the point guard, and he had the ball in his hand all the time—not half the time—and you could see that.”

After a short-lived return to the broadcasting game, Rivers didn’t get to spend a lot of time watching film that couldn’t benefit his Bucks. But when the Sixers were in the playoffs facing the New York Knicks, Rivers watched Maxey have a standout showing in the postseason.

“I thought in the playoffs, he took another step,” Rivers finished. “I thought the New York series was phenomenal. Just watching him, I don’t know what game that was, but he literally just said, ‘Jump on my back, we’re going to win the game.’ That was awesome to see.”

Maxey produced 30 points, seven assists, and five rebounds against the Knicks in the playoffs last year. He shot efficiently, making 48 percent of his shots and averaging 40 percent from deep on nearly ten attempts per game. The Sixers didn’t win the series, but Maxey was his team’s hero, keeping them alive in Game 5 by producing 46 points in 51 minutes of action.

After seeing how he started versus what he ended up doing in year four, Rivers proudly saw a confident Tyrese Maxey earn his title as a cornerstone player for Philly’s franchise.