Earlier in his career, a young Tyrese Maxey teamed up with the former NBA MVP James Harden on the Philadelphia 76ers.
Both players embraced the opportunity to work together, and Harden seemingly gave Maxey some strong advice that he can carry into the 2026-2027 NBA season, which features the biggest opportunity of his career: Playing alongside LeBron James.
James Harden's valuable advice
"Dont let anybody come in and make it to where I'm not being myself on the basketball court," Maxey recalled when revealing Harden's message to him back in 2022.
At the time, Maxey was a sophomore guard who was thrown into a role as a starter due to the Ben Simmons saga, which resulted in the three-time All-Star holding out with a grudge against the team. Harden had the resume that leaves a player starstruck and hesitant to play with agressiveness, but The Beard made it clear to Maxey that he shouldn't shy away from playing his game.
Of course, it was tough at times for Maxey. He would defer to Joel Embiid or Harden in big situations, and it took years for him to realize that he was reliable enough to have the ball in his hands in crunch time, taking the big shot. Harden preached aggressiveness to Maxey. And the two-time All-Star doesn't believe he would be the same player without Harden's advice.
Now the message is to keep going
Harden is a household name in the NBA, but LeBron James is on a different level. Fortunately, Maxey has had a connection with LeBron James since he entered the NBA. Still, they haven't shared the court in a game setting. Even the addition of Jaylen Brown shakes the situation up.
But Maxey needs to keep the message from Harden close in his mind. The veteran guard has to understand that he remains a focal point for the Sixers, and shouldn't drop himself down the pecking order because Brown proved to be a No. 1 last year, and LeBron is LeBron.
Sure, the role might change a bit, as James is the more polished passer and playmaker, but Maxey shouldn't second-guess his role as a scorer for a second. Entering his seventh season, Maxey has earned his stripes in Philadelphia. Sometimes it's hard to earn the authority over players who have more years under their belt, but 388 games is more than enough proof that Maxey is deserving of his spot as a top priority for the Sixers' offense.
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