The Philadelphia 76ers have suddenly turned into one of the NBA's most exciting young teams.
Having previously relied on Joel Embiid as their lone superstar, Tyrese Maxey has emerged as a player who can carry the team any given night, alongside other talented youngsters such as VJ Edgecomb and Jared McCain when healthy.
But Maxey credits his ascent into the player he is today to his former mentor and teammate, a former league MVP who showed him the ropes when it comes to being an NBA star.
Tyrese Maxey credits James Harden as his mentor
Maxey told The Athletic's Law Murray just how important former 76ers teammate James Harden has been to him throughout his career.
"I love James. Y'all know I love James. James has done a lot for me.. It’s great seeing him. I always call if I need anything. He call and check in on me.. He loves basketball and I learned a lot from him," said Maxey.
"I appreciate him, and every time I see him, I just want to compete extremely hard against him. That's the respect level and that's just how it goes."
The relationship isn't one-sided, either.
Harden told The Philadelphia Inquirer's Gina Mizell just how excited he is for Maxey's future as a player.
"I can only expect great things from Tyrese, just because of the amount of work I know he puts in. He’s in the gym. He loves it, so the results are going to happen for him in a great way. I’m excited for him," Harden said.
It's awesome to see the relationship between the two players continue, even after Harden's time in Philadelphia came to an end.
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