The growth and development of young guard Tyrese Maxey were one of the biggest positives for the Philadelphia 76ers this past season. Without, the Sixers wouldn’t have made the run to the second round of the playoffs that they did.
There were a lot of different factors that led to Maxey’s growth this year. Obviously the hard work he put into the previous offseason is the most important. However, the opportunity and the club’s overall player development staff are important as well.
Of course, there has to be more than just that. Maxey was recently interviewed by Brandon Robinson of Bally Sports where Maxey revealed what helped his development this past season.
James Harden’s arrival to 76ers elevated Tyrese Maxey as a PG telling @BallySports: “When James even came in, I think I really got a clear vision of when I had to be aggressive to score & then aggressive to create for others. I think it really did help me & my game blossomed.” pic.twitter.com/sKBXSbMJDK
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) June 3, 2022
Harden’s impact on the Sixers’ young guard Maxey.
Technically it wasn’t just James Harden‘s arrival to the 76ers that led to Maxey’s game blossoming, but also the sage advice given by Sam Cassell. Before getting into the Harden aspect of this quote, it’s important to give Cassell his flowers. He’s a former All-Star and three-time NBA champion. He’s put his dues in as an assistant coach and should be given an opportunity to be an NBA head coach. This quote from Maxey helps prove that previous statement.
That being written about Cassell, it’s clear from Maxey’s perspective that Harden was the catalyst to his increased production. The stats prove it as well.
Prior to the All-Star break and the arrival of Harden, Maxey averaged 16.9 points and 4.6 assists, while shooting 46.9 percent from the floor and 39.0 percent from the 3-point line. After the All-Star break and Harden’s arrival, the 21-year-old averaged 18.7 points and 3.5 assists, while converting 52.3 percent of his field goals and 48.0 percent of his 3-pointers.
The numbers prove Maxey’s assertion and there’s no doubt that Harden’s playmaking will help Maxey’s game yet again next season. That working under the assumption that the All-Star point guard returns to the Sixers this offseason.