Sixers' Tyrese Maxey Reacts to NBA Sportsmanship Award Win

Tyrese Maxey lands another major award.

May 2, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey before game six / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Make it two major awards for Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey.

On Thursday, the NBA announced that Maxey is officially the winner of the league’s Sportsmanship Award for the 2023-2024 NBA season.

Maxey is just the second member of the Sixers’ organization to land such an honor, joining the former 76ers guard Eric Snow, who won the award after the 1999-2000 season.

The award honors a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. Each NBA team nominates one of its players for it every year. From the list of 30 team nominees, a panel of league executives selected one finalist from each of the NBA’s six divisions, and current NBA players select the winner.

Apr 25, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) is / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

On Thursday, Maxey’s parents presented him the trophy. The young guard was caught by surprise.

All love and appreciation For these 2🫶🏾! https://t.co/VE4YmO7RAW

— Tyrese Maxey (@TyreseMaxey) May 16, 2024

“It means a lot,” said Maxey. “I wasn’t prepared to speak. It does mean a lot. Sportsmanship means a lot to me. I go out there, and I play extremely hard, but I still respect all my teammates and all my competitors. You always gotta show respect to them. [My parents] taught me a lot, too. Taught me how to play the game that I love with a lot of passion, but at the end of the day, win, lose, or draw, you got to respect your competitors and the guys that you’re playing against.”

Maxey’s latest award win becomes his second this season. Before the Sixers’ 2024 playoff run was stopped short in the first round against the New York Knicks, Maxey was crowned the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year.

Going from a third option to an All-Star, Maxey once again had a career-best season with the Sixers in year four. During his 70-game stint, Maxey averaged 26 points, four rebounds, and six assists while draining 37 percent of his threes.

The young guard is in line for a major payday this offseason, and the Sixers likely won’t hesitate to take care of Maxey for the long-term, as he’s proven to be an excellent player, and an incredible teammate.