The Philadelphia 76ers are Tyrese Maxey's team. Any questions about who's in charge in Philly have quickly been answered, as Maxey has sped out to an explosive start this season, averaging 32.1 points and 8.3 assists per game while shooting over 44% from 3-point range. Somehow, the Sixers, with about a half-strength Joel Embiid and an MIA Paul George, have started the year 7-4 behind Maxey's brilliance. He's scored at least 25 points in all but one game, and perhaps as importantly, has recorded at least five assists in every contest.
With the health of his co-stars consistently in limbo, Maxey's role as the No. 1 option on this team has never been more concrete. In years past, the idea has been for Maxey to act as the Sixers' top dog until Embiid comes back.
Now, Maxey isn't just acting as a stand-in No. 1 option — he'll play that role even when the whole roster is healthy. He's the star of this team, full stop. He's the one who creates opportunities for everyone else, not just someone who takes advantage of the opportunities that a teammate creates. He's the player who changes the gravity of defenses, not one who takes advantage of the gravity of someone else.
Tyrese Maxey is embracing life as a No. 1 option
Maxey has been a star for years now. But last season, in his first extended run as the team's go-to guy, his efficiency dropped across the board. As Tony Jones of The Athletic puts it, "...Being a No. 1 option on a good team is one of the hardest jobs in basketball. Maxey’s experience at that last year went awry for the first part of the season. He didn’t shoot the ball well. There were times where he was taken out of games by other defenses."
The learning phase seems to be over. Maxey is cooking opponents even with all the attention focused on him. He's not surprising anybody; other teams know he's the Sixers' biggest weapon, and they still can't stop him.
Plus, while Embiid and George won't overtake Maxey when they return to the lineup, they will benefit from Maxey's continuously rising gravity. That's perfect, because while Maxey keeps earning a bigger role, it's probably best for Embiid and George's roles to shrink as they work back to full health.
A rising Tyrese Maxey lifts all injury-prone stars. And he continues to rise, now looking more comfortable than ever in his No. 1 role, which Sixers fans have hoped he'd be able to take on for years.