76ers' Tyrese Maxey gets brutally honest about playing in Philadelphia

Michael Kaskey-Blomain

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76ers' Tyrese Maxey gets brutally honest about playing in Philadelphia image

NBA Entertainment

Playing in Philadelphia isn’t for everybody.

Some athletes can handle the bright lights and scrutiny that comes with playing in one of the preeminent sports cities in the country. Some even thrive in those conditions. Others, however, wilt and fold under the pressure. Philadelphia 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey definitely falls under the first category.

Maxey has embraced the pressure of playing in Philadelphia since the second he was selected by the Sixers with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Since his selection, Maxey has tirelessly worked at his craft and improved every single season. That improvement is evident in his stats – his scoring average has increased every single season that he’s been in the league – and also via the eye test.

Tyrese Maxey 'loves' playing in Philadelphia, but knows it's not for everyone

The Kentucky product, well on his way to his second All-Star selection, has blossomed into a star right in front of the eyes of Philadelphia fans, and just as he’s embraced the city, the city has embraced him.

So, if anyone is qualified to talk about what it’s like to play in the City of Brotherly Love, it’s Maxey, and he recently kept it real while discussing playing in the city. While Maxey said that he loves playing in Philadelphia, he acknowledged that it can be a difficult place to play if you don’t have thick skin.

“I love it,” Maxey said of playing in Philly. “It’s definitely a tough place to play. If you’re not tough. If you don’t have thick skin, this is not the place for you." 

"The fans are going to hold you accountable, they’re going to do all of those different things," he added. "But if they love you, they love you. If you just go out there and play hard every night, they’re not going to trip about much.”

 

After five years in Philly, Maxey clearly has his finger on the pulse of the fanbase. Philadelphia fans want to see effort, above all else. If that effort is given, they’re willing to overlook, or accept, mistakes. After all, no player is perfect.

That’s the reason that Allen Iverson remains so adored in Philadelphia. He played every game like it was his last and that resonated with the fans. They appreciated him for it, and they still do.

In many ways, Maxey is following in Iverson’s footsteps. There are obviously similarities between the two in both size and playing style, but there’s also a similarity in how hard they play. Like Iverson, Maxey gives it his all on a nightly basis and puts his body on the line for his team.

Given his approach to the game, it’s no wonder that Maxey has quickly become one of the most popular athletes in the city of Philadelphia.

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Senior Editor