Tyrese Maxey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tyrese Maxey

Maxey with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2021
No. 0 – Philadelphia 76ers
Point guard
Personal information
Born	(2000-11-04) November 4, 2000 (age 24) Dallas, Texas, U.S.
High school	South Garland (Garland, Texas)
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky (2019–2020)
NBA Draft	2020 / Round: 1 / Pick: 21st overall
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers
Pro career	2020–present
League	NBA
Career history
2020–present	Philadelphia 76ers
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Star (2024) NBA Most Improved Player (2024) Second-team All-SEC (2020) SEC All-Freshman Team (2020) McDonald's All-American (2019) Texas Mr. Basketball (2019)
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States FIBA Americas U18 Championship Gold 2018 Canada National team

Tyrese Kendrid Maxey (born November 4, 2000) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Philadelphia 76ers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). People sometimes call him "The Franchise" or "Mad Max." Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.

Tyrese was born in Dallas, Texas. He played shooting guard for South Garland High School. In 2018, he helped his team reach the Texas state high school basketball tournament for the first time ever. He was a top player from a young age. Tyrese was named a McDonald's All-American and Texas Mr. Basketball in his senior year. After high school, he played one year for the Kentucky Wildcats. In his very first college game, he set a school record by scoring 26 points.

Tyrese's first college season ended early because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He then decided to join the 2020 NBA draft. The 76ers picked him as the 21st player overall. In his first NBA season, he did not play much at first. But he got a chance to start when many players were out. The next season, he became the team's main point guard. In his fourth season, Tyrese won the Most Improved Player Award. He was also chosen for his first All-Star team in 2024. After the 76ers were out of the playoffs, he also won the NBA Sportsmanship Award.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Tyrese Maxey was born on November 4, 2000, in Dallas, Texas. His parents are Denyse and Tyrone Maxey. His father, Tyrone, played college basketball for the Washington State Cougars. Later, his dad became a coach.

Tyrese's favorite basketball player when he was a kid was Dwyane Wade. When Tyrese told his dad he wanted to be like Wade, his father created a special training plan for him. This plan was inspired by how NBA players Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving played. In sixth grade, Tyrese won a national championship with his Amateur Athletic Association (AAU) team. He once broke his pinky finger during a game but kept playing. He only used his other hand to dribble the ball.

At South Garland High School, Tyrese played shooting guard. In his second year, he scored about 23.5 points per game. He also got 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. The next year, South Garland made it to the Texas state basketball tournament for the first time. Tyrese scored 46 points in a semifinal game, but his team lost in overtime. He thought about leaving high school early to join the NBA. But he decided to stay to try and become a McDonald's All-American.

In his senior year, he averaged 21.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. He was also at the top of his class in school. Tyrese was named First-Team All-Area, a McDonald's All-American, and Texas Mr. Basketball.

Choosing a College Team

Tyrese was seen as a top player even in his second year of high school. Many college basketball teams wanted him. These included Michigan State and the University of California, Los Angeles. In May 2018, he decided to play for the University of Kentucky. He officially signed with Kentucky in November of that year.

College Basketball Career

Maxey playing for Kentucky in 2020

Tyrese played his first college game at Madison Square Garden. It was for Kentucky against the Michigan State Spartans. He scored 26 points, which was a new record for a freshman in their first game at Kentucky. This helped his team win 69–62. After a few games where he didn't shoot as well, he scored 21 points in a big win against the Lamar Cardinals.

On December 28, he scored 27 points and got seven rebounds in an overtime win. This earned him several awards, including National Player of the Week. On February 29, 2020, Kentucky won the SEC regular season championship. Tyrese scored 17 points in that game.

However, the 2020 SEC men's basketball tournament and the 2020 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament were canceled. This happened because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This ended Tyrese's freshman season early. He played in 31 games for Kentucky, starting 28 of them. He averaged 14 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. He was also named to the All-SEC Second Team. On April 6, 2020, Tyrese decided to enter the 2020 NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Career

Philadelphia 76ers (2020–present)

First NBA Season (2020–21)

Maxey with the 76ers in 2021

Many thought Tyrese would be picked earlier in the 2020 NBA draft. But the Philadelphia 76ers chose him as the 21st player overall. He signed his first contract with the team on December 3, 2020. His coach, Doc Rivers, said Tyrese would be a key player coming off the bench.

Tyrese played his first NBA game on December 23. He scored six points in 11 minutes. On January 9, the 76ers had many players out due to injuries and COVID-19. This meant Tyrese got to make his first NBA start. Even though the 76ers lost, Tyrese played great. He scored 39 points in 44 minutes. This was the most points by any rookie in their first start since 1970. It was also the most by a 76ers rookie since Allen Iverson in 1997.

In his first season, Tyrese played in 61 regular season games. He averaged eight points per game. He also played in eight playoff games. The 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the playoffs.

Becoming a Starter (2021–22)

After the playoffs, Tyrese worked on his game in the NBA Summer League. When Ben Simmons did not play for the 76ers, Tyrese got a chance to start as point guard. He averaged 16.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in the first part of the season. Because of his good play, he was chosen for the 2022 NBA Rising Stars Challenge.

Later in the season, the 76ers traded for James Harden. This allowed Tyrese to move back to his natural shooting guard position. He started getting more chances to shoot. He averaged 24.5 points in his first two games with Harden. Tyrese finished his second season averaging 17.5 points per game. He shot very well from the field and from three-point range.

In the 2022 NBA playoffs, the 76ers played the Toronto Raptors. Tyrese had an amazing game, scoring 38 points in the first game. This was his highest score in a playoff game. He became the youngest 76ers player to score 30 or more points in a playoff game. The 76ers won that series. Tyrese averaged 21.3 points per game. They then played the Miami Heat. Even with Tyrese scoring 34 points in one game, the 76ers lost the series. He was the 76ers' top scorer in that series.

Steady Improvement (2022–23)

On October 28, 2022, Tyrese scored a career-high 44 points against the Toronto Raptors. He made 15 of 20 shots, including nine three-pointers. He joined Hal Greer and Allen Iverson as the only 76ers players to score 40 points before turning 23. He also tied the team record for most three-pointers in a game with nine.

Tyrese finished his third season averaging 20.3 points per game. He shot 43.4% from three-point range.

All-Star and Most Improved Player (2023–24)

On November 12, 2023, Tyrese scored a new career-high of 50 points. He also had seven rebounds, five assists, and three blocks in a win against the Indiana Pacers. He was one of only six 76ers players ever to have 50+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists in a game. He also joined Iverson as the only 76ers players to score 50+ points at age 23 or younger. He dedicated this game to his teammate Kelly Oubre Jr., who had been in an accident. On December 29, Tyrese scored 42 points against the Houston Rockets.

On February 1, 2024, Tyrese was chosen for his first All-Star Game. On the same day, he scored another career-high of 51 points against the Utah Jazz. On April 7, Tyrese scored a career-high 52 points in a double-overtime win against the San Antonio Spurs. He finished his fourth season averaging 25.9 points and 6.2 assists per game. He was one of only three players that season to have three or more 50-point games.

On April 23, 2024, Tyrese was named the NBA Most Improved Player for the 2023–24 NBA season. On April 30, he scored a playoff career-high 46 points in a game against the New York Knicks. He scored 7 points in the last 25 seconds to tie the game, including a long shot with 8.1 seconds left. The 76ers eventually lost the series. Many felt Tyrese saved the 76ers' season when Joel Embiid was injured.

On May 16, Tyrese won the 2023–24 NBA Sportsmanship Award. On July 7, he signed a big 5-year contract with the 76ers.

Season Ended with Injury (2024–25)

Tyrese played 52 games for the 76ers during the 2024–25 NBA season. He averaged career-highs of 26.3 points and 1.8 steals per game. He also had 3.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists. On April 9, 2025, Tyrese was ruled out for the rest of the season. This was due to a finger injury on his right hand.

Playing for the National Team

While in high school, Tyrese played for the United States men's national under-19 basketball team. This was for the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship in Canada. He averaged 13 points per game in the first part of the tournament. He also got 3.5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. He hurt his ankle in a game against Puerto Rico. It looked like he might not play again in the tournament.

But after missing two games, Tyrese returned for the gold medal match against Canada. He scored two points in 12 minutes. The United States won the game 113–74, taking home the gold medal.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

Personal Life

Maxey at a charity event for his foundation

Tyrese is one of four children and has three sisters. His father, Tyrone, was a director for a college basketball team when Tyrese was in high school. During the NBA season, Tyrese lives in Voorhees Township, New Jersey. His home caught fire on Christmas Eve in 2021 when his family was visiting. Luckily, no one was hurt. The 76ers helped Tyrese and his family find new housing and other support.

Tyrese is good friends with another NBA player, R. J. Hampton. They grew up playing basketball in the same area since first grade. They were always opponents, never teammates. He is also part of a group of high school basketball stars from the Dallas area who became friends. This group includes Isaac Likekele and Drew Timme.

Outside of basketball, Tyrese is a big fan of Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His favorite Marvel movies include Spider-Man: Homecoming and The Avengers. He has even compared himself to the character Spider-Man. Tyrese also has a charitable foundation, the Tyrese Maxey Foundation. It works with Youth Services, Inc., to help prevent kids from skipping school in Philadelphia.

Images for kids

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  Maxey with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2021

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  Maxey playing for Kentucky in 2020

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  Maxey with the 76ers in 2021

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  Maxey at a charity event for his foundation

See also

In Spanish: Tyrese Maxey para niños