The first returns of the All-Star voting was released just a short while ago, and suffice to say that the Philadelphia 76ers were definitely well-featured therein. After all, Tyrese Maxey was the second-leading vote getter among all players in the Eastern Conference, racking up nearly 1.1 million votes.
Meanwhile, Joel Embiid still found a way to be on the list despite having already missed a lot of games, ranking 17th with 102,017 votes to his name.
Maxey only trails Giannis Antetokounmpo in the voting count, and he is not far off. The Milwaukee Bucks superstar has garnered nearly 1.2 million votes to lead all players in the Eastern Conference. As everyone knows, the five leading vote-getters from each conference will be the starters in the 2026 All-Star Game, which will be hosted by the LA Clippers at the Intuit Dome.
At this rate, Maxey is bound to start in the All-Star Game for the first time in his career. It would be his second appearance in the February festivities altogether, having made it back in 2024 and missing out on a spot last year.
76ers fans shock NBA insider Jake Fischer as Tyrese Maxey leaps to second in the All-Star Voting returns
Maxey ranking second on the list definitely caught a lot of people off guard not because he does not deserve it, but probably because they did not expect him to take such a meteoric rise popularity-wise. However, this is a byproduct of him turning in an MVP-caliber season, cementing himself as the face of the 76ers.
NBA insider Jake Fischer was one of the people who were surprised by Maxey’s lofty position. True enough, Maxey was able to usurp the likes of Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, and Donovan Mitchell — the three guards he is most often compared to out in the East.
It is definitely nice to see Maxey not only get his flowers for having a sensational year so far, but also bolster his popularity and marketability as a star. The league often tends to ride out its aging stars way too long, so this is definitely a good indicator that the shift is finally coming.
Tyrese Maxey is undoubtedly already a household name, and these results only prove it. The 76ers are lucky to have him on their team, and it is good to see his efforts finally pay off in a more visible manner.