76ers' Tyrese Maxey drops truth bomb on All-Star snub
Today at 12:29 PM
Normally when a player is considered snubbed from the NBA All-Star Team, “happy” isn’t the first word that comes to mind. But then again, Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey isn’t normal. He’s a leader.
Following the Sixers’ 137-134 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday, Maxey told reporters that not making the All-Star team didn’t upset him at all. In fact, quite the opposite.
“I’m happy actually,” Maxey said, via Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports. “I have a lot of connections with the people who made it… It doesn’t upset me at all. I’m more focused on trying to help this team win and get better, that’s the biggest focus I’ve had these last couple of weeks. I think we’ve done a good job of it.”
Maxey has averaged 27.1 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 43.8% from the floor and 33.7% from deep so far this season, as the 76ers attempt to battle back from disastrous injury luck and find cohesion as a unit.
The fifth-year guard out of Kentucky didn’t stop at proclaiming his happiness. He went on to name-drop multiple players who stepped into the All-Star spotlight for the first time, including Cleveland’s Darius Garland, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham (from Maxey’s hometown of Dallas), and Miami’s Tyler Herro (another Kentucky guard).
“Darius Garland, I’m so happy he made it,” Maxey said. “He deserves it, man. He had a lot of adversity last year that he went through and overcame, leading his team to a one-seed. I’m happy for him. Cade’s from Dallas, played a lot against him when I was younger. Extremely happy for him, first-time All-Star, making Dallas look really good. Tyler Herro, former Kentucky guard. Everybody deserves it.”
When asked Friday about Maxey’s exclusion from the Eastern Conference reserves, Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse expressed his understanding.
“I’m disappointed,” Nurse stated. “I thought he’d be in it, but also the guys that made it are, obviously, having good seasons and the guys that didn’t as well. Not easy to make it. Again, a lot of weight put to where you are in the standings as well, obviously, but I feel like he’s playing at an All-Star level.”
Maxey has been on a tear since Jan. 6, scoring at least 28 points in 13 straight games, including going over 40 in two of the team’s last three contests.
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