Mar 23, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Georges Niang (20) drives to the basket against the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Ex-Sixers Forward Calls Out Tyrese Maxey for Controversial Post

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 3:24 PM ET

On Thursday evening, Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey ruffled some feathers within the fanbase with a controversial social media post. As people sounded off on the All-Star guard, one of his former teammates decided to chime in as well.

As a native of Texas, Maxey is loyal to his roots. Though he's embraced the city of Philadelphia since arriving in 2020, there are some things he won't budge on. One of them being his sports fandom.

The NFL season kicked off Thursday with the Philadelphia Eagles squaring off against their division rival in the Dallas Cowboys. Ahead of the matchup, Maxey made it clear which side he stood on.

Maxey took to social media Thursday morning with a message that left many Sixers fans displeased. He applauded the Eagles for winning the Super Bowl last year, but declared that he'd be rooting for the Cowboys in the season opener.

Among those to react to Maxey's post was Georges Niang. The former Sixers forward jokingly urged him to go voice his Cowboys' fandom in the heart of the city.

You won’t go out on broad street and say it though https://t.co/viZvDf6r0W
— Georges Niang (@GeorgesNiang20) September 4, 2025

While it was a competitive matchup, the Cowboys were unable to upset the defending champions. Led by a strong performance from quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Eagles kicked off the 2025 campaign with a 24-20 victory.

Niang and Maxey shared the floor together for a brief stretch, as the former spent two seasons with the franchise. He departed in free agency in 2023 for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but has been bouncing around the league for the past six months.

At the trade deadline, the Cavaliers traded Niang to the Atlanta Hawks for forward De'Andre Hunter. Then, in the offseason, Atlanta dealt him to the Boston Celtics in the trade that landed them All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis.

Landing with the Celtics was a big deal for Niang, as it opened the door to play for his hometown team. However, he will not get to live out this dream. Last month, the Celtics traded Niang to the Utah Jazz, where he began his NBA career.

After watching his favorite football team fall short in the season opener, Maxey now returns to diligently training ahead of the 2026 campaign.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia 76ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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