Philadelphia 76ers hit the lottery with Tyrese Maxey

Philadelphia 76ers rookie Tyrese Maxey is proving why 20 other NBA teams will regret passing on him in the draft.

On Saturday, the Philadelphia 76ers played the Denver Nuggets at the Wells Fargo Center. Due to the circumstances, the Sixers’ Boathouse Row jerseys were set to be more entertaining than the game itself. During the opening presentation, Sixers rookie Tyrese Maxey ceremoniously rang the bell. What happened after that is something Philly fans will never forget. Something they hope will reverberate throughout the rest of his career.

For the 76ers, grabbing a player like Maxey so late in the draft is uncommon. His breakout game would also be a rare gem. Yet, his success did not just begin in his tenth professional game.

Going into the Nuggets game, the Sixers’ rookie sensation had scored in double digits in three of the previous five games. In that span, he shot over 50 percent and conveyed an aspect of his game that will continue to add value to the team. Maxey’s ability to penetrate and score in numerous ways presents Doc Rivers with an option that the 76ers have not had in quite some time.

Sure, what stood out most at the offset of the Denver game was the absence of more than half the team due to injuries and COVID-19 quarantine protocol. Yet, Tyrese Maxey would seize the moment unlike anyone Sixers fans have seen since the likes of another undersized guard who became a Philly legend.

In a starting five that included Dwight Howard, Danny Green, Isaiah Joe, and Dakota Mathis, Maxey stood out in multiple ways. Initially, the network broadcasting the game displayed his image not wearing a Sixers jersey in the lineup introductions. As strange as that was to witness, what his performance brought in his 44 minutes on the court would not look odd at all. Quite impressively, he showcased his game and put the league on notice, placing Sixer fans in a state of temporary bliss.