Fresh off of a solid rookie campaign with the Philadelphia 76ers, Tyrese Maxey paid it forward a bit this week and offered incredible advice for the incoming draft class.
Maxey averaged eight points, two assists and 1.7 rebounds in 61 games last season with the Sixers. He started eight games last season and even registered the second-highest-scoring game by any rookie with 39 points on Jan. 9.
The 21st pick in 2020 is among the players participating with the 76ers in the Las Vegas Summer League. He scored a team-high 21 points on Monday in a win over the Dallas Mavericks and gave some valuable information to the rookie class afterward.
My advice for any rookie no matter where you got drafted, no matter how much you play is to stay ready. I was just telling someone else that off days are not off days for rookies; optional shooting isn’t optional shooting. You need to be there every single day and find a way to get 1% better. You never know when your time is going to be called.
There were times where I didn’t play the whole first quarter (and then in the) second quarter, with five minutes left to go, Coach is yelling my name because someone has two fouls. You got to be able to go out there and know the scouting report, know the plays, be successful and try to help the team win. You just stay ready and wait for your moment.
The advice from Maxey already seems to be resonating with a teammate.
76ers rookie Jaden Springer recently credited Maxey for helping him with the transition to the NBA. The two have had the opportunity to practice and train together in Las Vegas as Maxey looks to be taking Springer under his wing.
“It’s great to play with a guy like him,” Springer said, via Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. “He brings the energy. He brings some competitiveness, and that’s somebody who you want to have as your teammate.”
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Certainly, having Maxey around to help Springer and the 76ers’ other rookies, Aaron Henry and Charles Bassey, will go a long way in their development.
Of course, the team also has several other veterans that can help give advice and mentor those younger players.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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