76ers News: Former Coach Compares Tyrese Maxey to Hall of Fame Point Guard

Halfway through the NBA season, Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey has been one of the biggest breakout stars. At age 23, he has emerged into an All-Star level talent alongside Joel Embiid. 

Aside from his rapidly-growing game, the thing that stands out most about Maxey is the attitude he has on the court. The young guard is always smiling, which has made him an easy player for fans and teammates to gravitate towards. 

Recently, former Sixers' coach Doc Rivers shared his thoughts on Maxey's easy-going personality. He compared it to Detroit Pistons legend and Hall of Fame guard Isaih Thomas. 

“When you watch Maxey, you see a guy playing with a great amount of joy, but he’s competitive,” says ESPN analyst Doc Rivers, who coached Maxey during his first three seasons. “Isiah Thomas was a little like that. He smiled and laughed—and then he tried to kill you. Tyrese has that same DNA.”

While he was the leader of the "Bad Boy" Pistons, Thomas was most known for his iconic smile. The six-foot guard played 13 years in the league, all with the Pistons, where he was a two-time champion and one-time Finals MVP. Thomas was later inducted into the Hall of Famer as a player in 2000. 

Maxey's happy go lucky nature is what has made him such a fan favorite among Sixers fans. Along with becoming a high-level talent, it's clear he has fun doing it. 

In his fourth season, Maxey has proven to the Sixers he can be a leader for the franchise now and for the foreseeable future. This season, he is averaging career-highs across the board at 26.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 6.7 APG. As he continues this breakout campaign, Maxey finds himself in a prime position to land the first All-Star nomination of his career.