Sixers Celebrate Draft Anniversary of Tyrese Maxey on Social Media
The 2020 NBA Draft marked the first time that Daryl Morey was set to select a new pair of young Philadelphia 76ers, as he took over as the team’s President of Basketball Operations that offseason.
It ended up being an eventful night for the Sixers, who not only made a notable number of moves but also selected one of the most important players of this era of Sixers' hoops.
On Saturday, the Sixers recalled the anniversary of the Tyrese Maxey selection. On November 18, 2020, the Sixers sat patiently with the 21st overall pick in the draft and watched a young Kentucky guard go unselected 20 times.
Maxey, tuned in remotely with his family, got the call from Morey and the Sixers. At the time, the emotional guard told Philadelphia they wouldn’t regret the pick. Now, the rest is history.
Tyrese Maxey’s journey in the NBA didn’t go as expected. Coming out of Kentucky, the freshman guard was initially expected to get selected in the lottery and become a key rotational player. Instead, he slid to the playoff-contending Sixers, where he made 61 appearances, averaging just 15 minutes on the floor during his rookie effort.
Maxey’s real impact came during his sophomore effort. With a chance to earn a role in the starting lineup, the young guard averaged 35 minutes in 75 games. He proved he belonged in the starting five, producing 18 points per game while knocking down 43 percent of his threes.
Year three was a challenging one for Maxey, considering he suffered an injury early in the season, which took him off the court for over a month. When he returned to the lineup, former Sixers head coach Doc Rivers attempted to utilize Maxey as a reserve for a handful of games.
Ultimately, Maxey was best suited in the starting five. In 60 appearances in year two, Maxey once again improved, producing 20 points per game while shooting 43 percent from deep.
At this point, the Sixers are hoping to see Maxey develop into one of the league’s All-Stars. Through the first 12 games of the 2023-2024 season, Maxey has accounted for 27 points per game while knocking down 43 percent of his threes. In addition, he’s producing a career-high five rebounds and seven assists per game, helping the Sixers to a 9-3 record.
Nicknamed “The Franchise” by Sixers MVP Joel Embiid, Maxey has proven to be a booming selection in the 2020 draft. If the Sixers can keep him around beyond the 2023-2024 NBA season for years to come, that very draft could go down as one of the most notable nights in Sixers franchise history.
