NFL
By: Nick Andre
The Process in Philadelphia has lasted nearly a decade. At this point, it may be time to cut ties. Why is that? Well, it’s hard to trust a process when there isn’t one Eastern Conference Finals appearance to show for. While All-Star Joel Embiid became one of the best players in basketball during his career, his leadership has not resulted in winning for the Philadelphia 76ers.
There’s a standard that comes with playing in the City of Brotherly Love. It’s a city that prides itself on hard work and success, while normally never settling for anything less. Philadelphia fans have been able to celebrate success on the football side as the Eagles won two Super Bowl Championships in a span of seven years. Meanwhile, the Sixers have been trying their best to get over that hump since their last title in 1983.
Luckily, the Sixers have gotten off to a strong start to the 2025-26 season as they currently stand at 4-0. It’s been nothing but success thus far as they’ve found ways to close games down the stretch and come out with huge wins. A big reason behind the Sixers’ success has been the sensational play of guard Tyrese Maxey. In his sixth season, Maxey is continuing to take his game to another level. It’s a reason why I believe it could be his time to be the franchise player for Philadelphia.
It wouldn’t be the first time the Sixers took a chance on a small guard to be the face of the franchise. In 1996, they drafted a young sensation named Allen Iverson as the first overall pick. Iverson was so dynamic as a player that he was nicknamed “The Answer”. Iverson put the weight of leading the Sixers on his shoulders as he elevated the team into title contenders, featuring a Finals appearance in 2001. Although Iverson wasn’t able to clinch a championship, his energy brought life to the city that they hadn’t seen in years.
In his sixth season, Tyrese Maxey has shown that he’s ready to take that next step. Over the course of his career, he’s shown tremendous growth as an elite guard who can score at a high level as well as make others better. Maxey has thrived while playing next to other great stars like Embiid, James Harden, Paul George, and others. His experience being able to both sacrifice and step up has also allowed him to be a coachable player as well.
The writing has been on the wall for years that Tyrese Maxey is ready to take over. For instance, his breakout season in 2023-24 was magnificent, averaging 26 points along with 6.2 assists. Not only was he able to win Most Improved Player, but he also displayed one of the best performances in the NBA with 51 points in a win over the Utah Jazz.
Last season was another example. Keep in mind, Joel Embiid missed 63 games last season while Paul George missed 41 games. For the most part, the season was a disaster as the Sixers finished the season at 24-58. There were many reasons why Philadelphia fans were disgruntled. Two of their star players were hurt, and the team wasn’t playing winning basketball. Luckily, fans were still impressed with Maxey and his continued production throughout the year.
Some paid attention while others didn’t because the Sixers were at the bottom of the standings. But Tyrese Maxey delivered another fantastic season by averaging a career-high 26.3 points along with 6.1 assists on 43 percent shooting. When you look away from stats and take the eye test, Maxey once again was efficient in his play and elevated others around him. Players like Quentin Grimes, Guerschon Yabusele, Jared McCain, and others produced very well this season, which is thanks in part to the leadership of Maxey.
Truth be told, it’s time for a change in Philadelphia. If the start of this season isn’t an example of that, then I’m not sure what is. As talented a player as Embiid has shown us to be, his biggest issue has been staying healthy and remaining an active player. Also, George is another player who has been injury-prone throughout his career. Tyrese Maxey has been available for the Sixers. Because of his availability, he’s been able to produce at a high level for Philadelphia.
