Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey is the overwhelming favorite to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award this season, and deservedly so.
After the Sixers traded James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers, Maxey made the most of his expanded role and elevated his game to another level. Maxey's time with Harden helped his development, as the 10-time All-Star is one of the most prolific scorers of the modern era. But Harden’s notoriously high usage rate meant Maxey was given limited time in the spotlight.
Since becoming Philadelphia’s No. 2 option alongside Joel Embiid, Maxey's stats jumped from 20.3 points, 3.5 assists, 2.9 rebounds and .8 steals last season to 25.9 points, 6.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds and a steal through 68 games this year. While he's been slightly less efficient, his shooting splits are still impressive given the uptick in attempts, as he's shooting 44.8% from the field (20.3 attempts), 37% from 3-point range (8.1 attempts) and 87% from the free-throw line (5.4 attempts). Maxey's strong play earned him his first All-Star selection as a reserve in January.
Despite the falling out between Harden and Sixers general manager Daryl Morey over the offseason, Maxey remains in touch with his former backcourt mate.
“[Harden] tells me, ‘Man, when I watch you, I knew this was coming. I know a lot of people didn’t, but I did.’ Ben [Simmons] believed in me, too,” Maxey told reporters in late February. “I love those guys. Not because they didn’t come back. Because they believed in me. Same for Joel. I think about it every day, how the situation changed and created opportunities for me. Every day.”
Maxey deserves a lot of credit for keeping the 76ers' playoff hopes alive. Once Embiid had surgery to repair his lateral meniscus in his left knee, many expected Philadelphia to plummet down the Eastern Conference standings. However, Nick Nurse and his team are currently the No. 7 seed in the East with a 45-35 record. Philadelphia is currently one game ahead of the No. 8-seeded Miami Heat and just one game back from the No. 6-seeded Indiana Pacers.
Hall-of-Famers and current analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal recently debated who would win a potential Play-In Tournament matchup between the Sixers and Heat. Barkley took the side of his former team in Philadelphia, while O’Neal picked Jimmy Butler and the Heat. When these teams faced off on April 4, Maxey dominated the Heat’s backcourt, recording a near triple-double of 37 points, 11 assists and 9 rebounds on 57.7% shooting.
The Sixers guard faces some competition for the award from Coby White (Chicago Bulls), Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets) and Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder). ESPN BET currently has Maxey (-1600) as the heavy favorite, followed by White (+650) and Williams (+6600).
White’s scoring has increased by 10 points per game, Sengun’s points, assists and rebounds have increased, while Williams is a key contributor on one of the top teams in the Western Conference. While each player has made tremendous strides, nobody has come close to matching Maxey's ascent during his fourth season in the league.
An All-NBA-Team selection remains within the realm of possibilities for Maxey, but regardless, winning the Most Improved Player award would be a huge honor for Maxey and a clear sign that numerous standout seasons are yet to come.
