January 19, 2026
Colleen Claggett/for PhillyVoice
Tyrese Maxey's sixth NBA season has been nothing short of marvelous.
As PhillyVoice conducted an interview with Tyrese Maxey earlier this month, the 25-year-old guard received a text message. It was impossible not to see the seven letters right in the middle of his lock screen: "ALL-STAR."
The mission is now accomplished for Maxey, who on Monday afternoon was not just named to his second All-Star team, but for the first time in his career was named an All-Star starter.
Leading a resurgent Sixers team that has withstood considerable and important absences from just about every other key player, Maxey has played in 38 of the Sixers' 40 games, scoring an Eastern Conference-best 30.3 points per game to go with averages of 6.7 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.0 blocks.
Despite handling an enormous workload – particularly when his injury-prone costars are unavailable – Maxey has posted the most efficient season of his career, shooting 47.4 percent on 22.3 shot attempts per game and 40.2 percent on 9.1 three-point tries per game.
Maxey has also taken a significant step into the primary vocal leadership role within the Sixers, credited by many teammates for helping set a strong tone ahead of this season. The Sixers' nightmarish 24-58 campaign last year caused plenty of misery, but nobody took it to heart more than Maxey. He has helped establish a stronger culture within the locker room; the team has been able to galvanize in the face of adversity in a way that they could not last season.
Being a leader, achieving individual excellence and driving winning is a perfect combination for any player striving to earn this honor. Maxey has done it all.
MORE: Maxey reflects on the day his ascent from rookie to superstar began
