On Wednesday, former Milwaukee Bucks legend and Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Redd took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share some thoughts about Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey.
Redd started his post with immediate praise for Maxey, stating that he had to give "Tyrese Maxey his flowers." Redd then indicated that his impression of Maxey had only grown throughout his career, from his days at Kentucky to where he is now. Finally, Redd referred to Maxey as an "Absolute All-Pro" and praised his ability to improve each and every season.
Redd is not wrong in any of these regards. One of the most impressive things about Tyrese Maxey has been his commitment to making himself a better player every year.
As a rookie out of Kentucky, Maxey was raw and couldn't shoot very well. He only averaged 8.0 points a night and shot 30.1% from beyond the arc. So he worked on his game and averaged 17.5 the next season while shooting 42.7% from three. Then, after James Harden left, Maxey became a 20-point-per-game scorer on a league-leading 43.4% from deep. The following season, he became an All-Star for the first time and won the Most Improved Player award.
Last year was a bit different for Maxey. While his scoring average continued to climb, he struggled to find efficiency as the true first option due to injury. For a lot of players, this is where you see a plateau start. After all, some players are just meant to be a second option. Maxey struggled as the first option and seemed like he was more than likely going to be at his best as the number two guy on a roster. Then this current season started.
After a year of adversity, Tyrese Maxey became one of the best players in the NBA. Through 20 games this year, Maxey is averaging 32.5 points and 7.5 assists a night, both of which are career highs. He has single-handedly become the most significant driving force for the Sixers' season and rightfully deserves to be in the MVP conversation.
In a world where many of the game's older legends refuse to give their flowers to the current generation, Michael Redd has been a breath of fresh air for fans. It's also no wonder Redd is a fan of Maxey's work ethic, as it defined his career with the Bucks. Entering the league as a second-round pick and only appearing in six games as a rookie, very few would have expected the much-accomplished career that Redd had. Yet, through hard work and a love for the game of basketball, Redd was able to accomplish more than most in the NBA.
Redd closes out his comments on Tyrese by calling him his "favorite Sixer to watch since Allen Iverson," making sure to note that it's nothing against Joel Embiid.
