CAMDEN, N.J. — Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey is one of the hardest workers in the league. The young man out of Kentucky is constantly in the gym looking for ways to get better and improve as a basketball player.
In fact, the Sixers have tried to throw in blackout days for Maxey to try to get him to avoid the gym and rest. In the past, he would ignore those days and make the trek to the team’s practice facility in Camden, New Jersey, to work out anyway.
Not anymore.
“I think what’s most different for me from my rookie year are the blackout days or days that they really don’t want you in here, I really try to take those days and rest at home and not leave my house or not leave my couch because those are good for you,” said Maxey on Thursday at practice. “Those are really good for you, and I think that’s one thing I’ve learned since I’ve been in the league.”
He added it was hard for him to understand he needs those rest days to keep his body fresh.
“That was hard for me,” he added. “Blackout days didn’t mean anything to me my rookie year. Blackout days made me wanna go in earlier because there wasn’t anybody there.”
As far as the 2022-23 season is concerned, Maxey has played 46 games. He missed roughly four weeks due to a foot injury he suffered in late November. That has allowed him to stay fresh and be ready for this final stretch of the season.
“I feel great, not because I got hurt, but like, I didn’t play for a while,” Maxey added. “I think I looked at it, I’ve played like 40-something games, so I haven’t really played that much. I‘ve only played like half the season. So I feel really good. You know? It’s a blessing in disguise I guess you could say.”
With the Sixers still fighting to move up in the East standings, they will need Maxey to be at his best. For him, he feels ready to play out these final 17 games and head into the playoffs for Philadelphia.
“I feel really good,” he finished. “I’ll probably play, God willing, I’ll play all the games throughout the rest of the season and in the playoffs. So the body feels great.”
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