Kendrick Perkins Calls Out NBA GMs for Passing on Tyrese Maxey

The Philadelphia 76ers acquired some quality selections during the 2020 NBA Draft. Not only did they select Paul Reed and Isaiah Joe in the second round, but the Sixers snagged Tyrese Maxey with the No. 21 pick.

Leading up to the draft, many expected the University of Kentucky standout to land in the lottery. However, 20 picks came and went, and the young freshman remained on the board. That's when the Sixers made the call and brought in the young standout.

Fast forward to the 2022 NBA Playoffs, and that selection looks like a huge steal for the 76ers. Not only has Maxey improved every aspect of his game while being thrown into the fire and forced to start for the Sixers in the absence of a disgruntled three-time All-Star, but Maxey is now thriving in the postseason as well.

As the Sixers tipped off their first-round series against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night, Philly leaned on Maxey as he was clearly the hot hand in the matchup. During his first playoff start, Maxey nearly exceeded his NBA Playoff career-high of 16 points in the first half on Saturday. 

By the time the third quarter rolled around, he not only exceeded his previous career-high -- he absolutely shattered it. Maxey rallied for 38 points against the Raptors as the Sixers dominated Toronto with a 131-111 victory.

Then in Game 2, Maxey turned his slow start around and once again had a stellar outing as he shot efficiently and nearly had a triple-double. As ESPN personality and former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins watched, he took to Twitter to call out the NBA General Managers that allowed Maxey to slip to 21 in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Perkins Calls Out the Doubters

The Minnesota Timberwolves landed Anthony Edwards with the No. 1 overall pick, which looks like the right choice two seasons in. The Charlotte Hornets scooped up LaMelo Ball with the third-overall pick, and he's already an All-Star.

Other than that, Perkins argues that Maxey should've been one of the top selections. Sure, it's easy to make that claim now as Maxey continues thriving in his second season with the Sixers. 

But, there were many question marks as to why Maxey fell outside of the lottery. While the primary reason remains unknown, one thing is becoming clear: Tyrese Maxey is a legitimate starter in the NBA and has a bright future ahead of him.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.