Tyrese Maxey Reacts to LeBron James Joining 76ers With Pure Joy: The Recruiting Pitch Paid Off
Tyrese Maxey was in the gym Friday when the news broke. His reaction is the best video of the day.
Maxey caught the LeBron James announcement mid-workout and immediately started screaming with joy. The clip, first shared by Austin Krell, shows Maxey bouncing around the court like a fan who just found out his favorite player got traded to his team. Except Maxey is the star point guard, and this is his teammate now.
The reaction says everything about how Philadelphia landed the biggest fish in free agency.
Maxey Was the Point Man on the Recruiting Pitch
Both Maxey and James are Klutch Sports clients. That connection matters, and Maxey used it aggressively. Reports over the past few weeks made it clear that Maxey was the loudest voice in Philadelphia’s James pursuit. He was texting, calling and pushing every possible angle.
That kind of recruiting only works if the recruiter is actually a star worth playing with. Maxey averaged 28.3 points per game last season and has developed into one of the most explosive guards in the league. He is 25 years old, in his prime, and running the show for a team that just went to the second round of the playoffs.
James did not sign in Philadelphia by accident. He signed because Maxey convinced him the fit was real.
The Numbers Might Take a Hit, and Maxey Does Not Care
Adding James means Maxey will absorb a cut in usage. That is unavoidable. You do not put a four-time MVP on the floor and keep running the offense through the point guard the way you did last year. Maxey’s scoring average will probably slide into the mid-20s.
He is fine with that trade. His body language says so. His public statements have said so. And the reaction in the gym says so loudest of all.
Winning championships is worth more than a scoring title. Every star player who has ever mattered has figured that out. Maxey is figuring it out on his own timeline, and he clearly cannot wait to get started.
The Sixers Big Four Is Officially Real
Philadelphia now trots out Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and LeBron James in the same starting lineup. That is a top-15 all-time player, a defending Finals MVP, a top-five center and a rising 25-year-old superstar. There is not a better collection of talent in the Eastern Conference. There might not be a better collection anywhere.
The chemistry questions are real. So are the durability concerns. Embiid barely plays anymore. Brown has knee issues. James is 41. If any two of them miss significant time, the whole thing falls apart.
But if this group stays on the floor together, they win the East. Maxey knows it. That is why he was jumping around like a kid on Christmas morning.
The rest of the conference should be a little concerned about the level of joy inside that Philadelphia gym on Friday.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
