Tyrese Maxey Bio
Tyrese Kendrid Maxey (born November 4, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed “The Franchise” and “Mad Max,” he plays the point guard position and is widely regarded as one of the league’s rising young stars. Maxey previously played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Born in Dallas, Texas, Maxey starred at South Garland High School before being selected 21st overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2020 NBA Draft. Across his first five professional seasons he has developed into an All-Star caliber scorer and playmaker, earning NBA Most Improved Player honors and a record-setting contract extension along the way.
Early Life and Background
Tyrese Kendrid Maxey was born on November 4, 2000, in Dallas, Texas, to Tyrone and Denyse Maxey. He is one of four children and has three sisters. His father, Tyrone Maxey, played college basketball for the Washington State Cougars under head coach Kelvin Sampson before turning to coaching, eventually serving as the director of player development at Southern Methodist University.
Growing up in the Dallas area, Maxey fell in love with basketball at an early age and identified Dwyane Wade as his favorite player. Inspired by his son’s ambition, Tyrone built a custom training program for Tyrese that drew on video study of Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving. Maxey’s early competitive years included Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) play, where he once finished a championship game dribbling with only his non-dominant hand after breaking his pinky finger.
Path to Basketball
Maxey attended South Garland High School in Garland, Texas, where he played shooting guard for the Colonels. As a sophomore he averaged 23.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.5 steals per game, and he was regarded as a five-star recruit as early as that season. Rivals.com ranked him No. 14 in the country among high school basketball prospects at the end of his sophomore year.
During his junior year, Maxey averaged 22.5 points, 7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.3 steals per game while leading South Garland to its first-ever Texas state basketball tournament appearance, scoring 46 points in the state championship semifinals. He finished his senior year as a McDonald’s All-American and was crowned Texas Mr. Basketball, completing his high school career with averages of 21.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.
After entertaining offers from programs including Michigan State, UCLA, and Southern Methodist University, Maxey gave a verbal commitment to the University of Kentucky in May 2018 and signed a National Letter of Intent that November. He ended his senior year ranked 10th overall by Rivals.com and 247Sports, and 13th overall by ESPN.
Tyrese Maxey Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Maxey made his college debut at Madison Square Garden during the Champions Classic against the Michigan State Spartans. Playing the day after his 19th birthday, he came off the bench to score 26 points, a school record for a Kentucky freshman debut, in a 69–62 Wildcats victory. He later scored 27 points in an overtime win over the Louisville Cardinals and was named NCAA Division I National Player of the Week.
Appearing in 31 games with 28 starts, Maxey averaged 14 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while leading Kentucky with 34.5 minutes per contest. He helped the Wildcats clinch the SEC regular season championship on February 29, 2020. The 2020 SEC and NCAA tournaments were later canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and on April 6, 2020, Maxey declared for the 2020 NBA Draft. He was named to the All-SEC Second Team and the SEC All-Freshman Team.
NBA Breakthrough (2020–2023)
Selected 21st overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2020 NBA Draft, Maxey signed his rookie scale contract in December 2020. He made his NBA debut on December 23, 2020, scoring six points against the Washington Wizards. On January 9, 2021, with the 76ers roster depleted by injuries and COVID-19 cases, he made his first NBA start and erupted for 39 points in 44 minutes against the Denver Nuggets, the most by any rookie in his first start since 1970.
With Ben Simmons refusing to play for Philadelphia, Maxey became a full-time starter during the 2021–22 season and was selected to the 2022 NBA Rising Stars Challenge. Following the trade for James Harden, he returned to his natural shooting guard role and posted 24.5 points per game in his first two games alongside Harden. He capped his sophomore year with 17.5 points per game on 48.5 percent shooting from the field and 42.7 percent from three-point range.
In the 2022 NBA Playoffs, Maxey scored 38 points in Game 1 against the Toronto Raptors, becoming the youngest 76ers player ever to reach 30 points in a postseason game. On October 28, 2022, he scored a then career-high 44 points against Toronto, including nine three-pointers, tying the franchise single-game record. He finished his third season averaging 20.3 points per game.
Philadelphia 76ers Era (2023–Present)
On November 12, 2023, Maxey scored a career-high 50 points in a 137–126 win over the Indiana Pacers, joining Allen Iverson as the only Sixers to score 50 or more points at age 23 or younger. He reached 51 points against the Utah Jazz on February 1, 2024, the same day he was named to his first NBA All-Star Game as an Eastern Conference reserve.
Maxey was named the 2023–24 NBA Most Improved Player on April 23, 2024, and won the NBA Sportsmanship Award on May 16, 2024, becoming the first player in league history to earn Most Improved Player, an All-Star selection, and the Sportsmanship Award in the same season. He signed a five-year, $204 million max contract extension with the 76ers on July 7, 2024.
During the 2024–25 season, Maxey averaged career highs of 26.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 1.8 steals per game before a right finger sprain ended his year on April 9, 2025. He opened the 2025–26 campaign with 40 points against the Boston Celtics on October 22, 2025, was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on November 3, 2025, and scored a career-high 54 points against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 20, 2025. On January 19, 2026, he earned his second All-Star nod and was selected as an Eastern Conference starter. He was later named to the All-NBA Third Team on May 24, 2026.
Driving Style and Strengths
Maxey combines elite speed with a smooth shooting stroke, allowing him to attack closeouts, finish at the rim, and pull up from beyond the arc. He is equally comfortable operating as a primary ball-handler or as an off-ball shooter, which has allowed him to thrive alongside stars such as James Harden and Joel Embiid. His craft as a finisher, three-point efficiency, and growth as a playmaker define his modern guard profile.
Notable Events and Milestones
Signature moments include his 39-point debut start in 2021, the 50-point game against the Pacers in 2023, and the 54-point performance against the Bucks in 2025. On February 26, 2026, Maxey surpassed Allen Iverson for the most three-pointers in 76ers franchise history. He is also a 2024 NBA All-Star, 2023–24 Most Improved Player, 2023–24 Sportsmanship Award winner, and a 2025–26 All-NBA Third Team selection.
Tyrese Maxey Career Wins
While Maxey has not yet captured an NBA championship, his trophy case is quickly filling with individual awards and milestones. He was a McDonald’s All-American and Texas Mr. Basketball in 2019, an SEC regular season champion with Kentucky in 2020, an NBA All-Star in 2024 and 2026, the 2023–24 Most Improved Player, the 2023–24 Sportsmanship Award winner, and an All-NBA Third Team selection in 2025–26.
NBA Highlights
Maxey’s NBA highlights include being selected 21st overall in the 2020 Draft, his 39-point first start in 2021, the 38-point playoff game against Toronto in 2022, the 44-point performance against the Raptors later that year, back-to-back 50-point games in the 2023–24 season, and the 54-point career high against the Bucks in 2025. He has set franchise records for three-pointers and joined legends such as Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain in the 76ers record book.
Other Wins and Performances
At the international level, Maxey helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship in Canada. He also claimed the 2020 SEC regular season championship with Kentucky and the 2022 NBA Rising Stars Challenge selection as a member of Team Worthy.
Tyrese Maxey Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Maxey is the son of Tyrone and Denyse Maxey. His father Tyrone was a college basketball player at Washington State and later a coach, including a stint as the director of player development at Southern Methodist University. That basketball background shaped Tyrese’s earliest training, with Tyrone designing workouts and film study routines for his son from a young age.
Personal Life
Maxey has three sisters and remains close with his family. During the NBA season he resides in Voorhees Township, New Jersey, where his home caught fire on Christmas Eve in 2021 while his family was visiting; no one was injured, and the 76ers provided housing and resources to support him and his family. Outside of basketball he is an avid fan of Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he runs the Tyrese Maxey Foundation, which partners with Youth Services, Inc., to help prevent truancy in Philadelphia-area schools.
2025 Season Performance
Maxey opened the 2025 calendar year still recovering from a right finger sprain that ended his 2024–25 campaign on April 9, 2025. He re-entered the lineup at full strength for the 76ers’ 2025–26 season opener on October 22, exploding for 40 points and seven three-pointers in a 117–116 victory over the Boston Celtics. Five days later he dropped 43 points with eight assists in a 136–124 win over the Orlando Magic, setting the tone for a historic individual start.
He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for Week 2 after averaging 33.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.25 steals per game across a 3–1 week. On November 20, 2025, Maxey scored a career-high 54 points with five rebounds, nine assists, three steals, and three blocks in a 123–114 overtime win over the Milwaukee Bucks, becoming just the second player in 76ers history to record 50-plus points and nine-plus assists in a single game, joining Wilt Chamberlain.
On January 19, 2026, Maxey earned his second career All-Star selection and was named an Eastern Conference starter after receiving the second-most votes in the conference. He continued his assault on the franchise record books on February 26, 2026, surpassing Allen Iverson for the most three-pointers in 76ers history, and capped his standout campaign with an All-NBA Third Team selection on May 24, 2026. With Philadelphia building around his two-way playmaking, Maxey entered the 2025–26 playoffs as the offensive engine of the franchise.
