LeBron James said Tyrese Maxey was one of the first people to reach out after it became public that he was leaving the Lakers. As we now know, the guard factored into the superstar's decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. Watching the 26-year-old build his case for MVP has to be satisfying.
Maxey is averaging 28 points per game, putting him fifth in the league, and shooting 48.6 percent from the field. He's averaging 11 points per contest in the fourth quarter alone, more than any player in the league. He's at the center of a stacked 76ers' offense that's still trying to figure things out.
James and Maxey spent the past several offseasons working out together, and LeBron has raved about the guard's work ethic. The difference is that now he gets to see the effects firsthand with the 76ers, rather than catching glimpses from afar and during the two games a year that Los Angeles plays Philadelphia.
The 76ers weren't considered a team high on LeBron's radar, and while he said the Jaylen Brown trade changed that, Maxey's presence was a major factor. He said that he "just loves everything" about the guard, citing the person he is off the court and the player he is on it.
Tyrese Maxey helped get LeBron James to Philadelphia
Cleveland and Miami were two of the teams in the running for James, but he wasn't interested in a homecoming with the Cavaliers or a return to the Heat. He wanted to be somewhere he could compete for a fifth championship.
The 76ers have posted a league-high eight wins through the first few weeks of the season, which is a pretty good indication of what this team can be by the time the playoffs roll around. Maxey has been practically unstoppable, and even in his off-shooting night in Wednesday's win over Philadelphia, he still finished with 19 points, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter, and seven assists.
Knowing LeBron believed in him enough to team up with him must have given Maxey a boost, too. It's not every day that you get to share the floor with arguably the greatest NBA player of all time. Having James around to learn from all season long gives the guard (and the entire team) an advantage. He does know what it's like to win a few MVP awards.
Maxey's sole focus isn't on individual accolades, though being in the MVP conversation also reflects team success.
Right now, the 76ers look pretty good, and naysayers may try to hold that against him because of the talent he's surrounded by, like LeBron (which does make his life easier). But if he keeps playing the way he has, he'll make that argument harder to take seriously.
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