The Philadelphia 76ers were put in a tough situation to begin the 2021-22 season with the Ben Simmons saga. The 25-year-old All-Star requested a trade in August and seems hell-bent on never putting on the Sixers uniform again.
The team had to hand the keys to young guard Tyrese Maxey. It was a necessary move, but some questioned whether the second-year guard out of Kentucky was ready for the challenges of playing point guard while trying to lead a team with championship aspirations.
All Maxey has done to begin the season is average 17.5 points with 4.4 assists while shooting 51.8% from the floor and 42% from deep on 3.3 attempts per game. Those are some impressive numbers for someone so young.
ESPN had put together a list of young players ready to take the next step in the league and they have Maxey listed there during his impressive start:
Pre-draft Maxey skeptics often pointed to his streaky shooting and sped-up style of play when arguing against his status as a projected top-10 pick during most of his freshman season at Kentucky. While we so often praised his competitive nature, spirit and shot creation potential, many labeled him an “undersized two-guard.” Less than 80 games into his NBA career, Maxey has silenced nearly all of his critics, shining as the new starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers with Ben Simmons sidelined. Maxey is one of the hottest guards in the NBA over his past five games, averaging 22.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1 steal and 1 block on 54% shooting from 2 and 48% from 3. For reference, only two players in the NBA are averaging at least 17 points and 4 assists on 50-plus shooting from 2 and 40-plus from 3: Maxey and Kevin Durant.
This is not to say Maxey is a finished product. The 21-year-old has a long way to go to become the player the Sixers believe he can be, but his play to begin the season has been terrific considering the circumstances. The Sixers have not only dealt with the Simmons situation, but a variety of COVID-19 issues and injuries. He has stood tall rather than wither.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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