NBA Twitter couldn’t believe how good Tyrese Maxey looked in his debut
By Scott Rogust
![Dec 15, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) passes the ball to forward Mike Scott (1) during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Dec 15, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) passes the ball to forward Mike Scott (1) during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/81de05a5fc747b154ce8dd5722f3461090de29629a575e2678052697743f7a8e.jpg)
Tyrese Maxey balled out in his Philadelphia 76ers debut on Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards.
For some reason, Kentucky Wildcats guard Tyrese Maxey fell all the way down to the 21st overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. The Philadelphia 76ers saw Maxey on the board and didn’t hesitate to select him. Sixers fans saw flashes of his brilliance throughout the preseason, but they weren’t prepared for his official NBA debut.
Maxey came off the bench during Wednesday’s game against the Washington Wizards and immediately balled out in his nearly seven minutes of action in the first half.
Of course, Twitter users acted accordingly, and that was by freaking out and gawking over the rookie’s play.
When Fultz was a bust but he helped the Sixers get Tyrese Maxey pic.twitter.com/KERPspMRjj
— Subscribe to the You Know Ball Patreon (@TrillBroDude) December 15, 2020
I mean how the hell did Tyrese Maxey fall to #21 in the draft. What a play pic.twitter.com/GQmXtYxhje
— Tyler Monahan (@TMon_19) December 24, 2020
Tyrese Maxey is just such a good driver and finisher.
— Tom West (@TomWestNBA) December 24, 2020
Takes his time probing the defense, finds an opening and scoops in a smooth finish (Dwight continues to set good screens too). pic.twitter.com/dYUMZWaBcn
tyrese maxey getting to the rim at will and finishing with ease in his nba debut pic.twitter.com/NBkUqMRya4
— Big Oil (@LargePetroleum) December 24, 2020
https://twitter.com/PhillyFreck215/status/1341906624487809026?s=20
Tyrese Maxey did not play point guard in college. Now he is perfectly dissecting NBA defenses as the point guard in the pick and roll. Kid is special, just turned 20. pic.twitter.com/UsMGfdeRo4
— Sixers Nation (@PHLSixersNation) December 24, 2020
Tyrese Maxey finishes his first NBA shift with 6/2/2 in 6 minutes on 3/4 shooting.
— Jason Blevins (@Json_Blevins) December 24, 2020
Also a +6.
I thought it at the time but Tyrese Maxey going at 21 was criminal
— Fadeaway World (@FadeawayWorld) December 24, 2020
Already looks very mature out there
Tyrese Maxey is becoming a favorite in Philly
The 20-year-old managed to recorded 6 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists while shooting 3-for-4 from the field in the first half — not a bad start to his first regular-season game in a 76ers uniform! The stats don’t leap off the page, but his NBA readiness immediately launched him to the No. 1 trend on Twitter after just seven minutes of playing time.
Maxey became known for his ability to shoot from and to find the open man during his lone season at Kentucky. Through 31 games, Maxey averaged 14.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 42.7 percent from the field. Yet, he fell in the draft behind fellow guards Tyrese Haliburton, Cole Anthony and Kira Lewis Jr.
The young guard finds himself in a favorable situation. He gets to play for a win-now team and learn from former NBA champion head coach Doc Rivers. That, and he’s not expected to be a huge difference-maker in the starting lineup, instead gaining his experience off the bench. Eventually, he can become a starter for the Sixers down the road. But if Wednesday’s game taught us anything, it’s that Maxey will be a fun player to watch for the foreseeable future.
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