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Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey Issues Heartfelt Promise to Joel Embiid: ‘I’m Not Going to Let You Down’

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Jul 8, 2024 11:04 PM ET

While it’s Joel Embiid who’s still going to carry the torch for the Philadelphia 76ers for the foreseeable future, there’s no denying that Tyrese Maxey will play an incredibly critical role in whatever level of success this team achieves in the coming years.

The fact that the Sixers recently extended the 23-year-old’s contract to the tune of $204 million for five years is a clear testament to how valuable Maxey is to the organization.

Philadelphia 76ers News: Tyrese Maxey Shouts Out Joel Embiid

Maxey, however, would likely not be in the position he is in today had it not been for Embiid. Philly has always been Embiid’s team, so it means a whole lot that the former league MVP welcomed Maxey to the squad with open arms. In fact, Embiid took Maxey under his wing as soon as the 6-foot-2 guard became a member of the team.

Embiid’s gesture has stuck with Maxey through the years. The 23-year-old recently got a museum established to honor his game, but for his part, Maxey took the opportunity to heap praise on his superstar teammate:

“Big fella… You were the first person to really believe in me,” Maxey said of Embiid (h/t Legion Hoops on X, formerly Twitter). “… Just walking onto the plane, you telling me to sit there, you bringing me a PlayStation… That meant the world to me… I hope I’m not going to let you down.”

You can clearly see how much Embiid’s support has impacted Maxey early on in the latter’s career. So much so, that the All-Star point guard has come out with a bold promise to do whatever he can to help Embiid achieve ultimate success in the league.