LeBron James knows exactly what Tyrese Maxey is all about.<\/p>\n
As the Sixers\u2019 new superstar detailed on the latest episode of his \u201cMind the Game\u201d podcast with Steve Nash<\/a>, that\u2019s an enormous reason why he chose to sign a two-year, minimum-salary deal to come to Philadelphia.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cFirst of all, my relationship with Tyrese Maxey goes beyond the court,\u201d James began an extended response to Nash\u2019s question about his free agency decision.\u00a0<\/p>\n James and Maxey share an agent in Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul. Long before Maxey\u2019s rise to All-NBA guard<\/a>, James saw special qualities in the ultra-dedicated<\/a>, exceptionally joyful <\/a>Kentucky product.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI just love everything about Tyrese Maxey, man,\u201d James said. \u201cEvery day you get the same person, and that is very rare in sports and it\u2019s obviously super rare in life. I\u2019ve always talked about how great of a person he is. And we obviously know what he brings to the basketball court.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I became a free agent and we decided to let the Lakers know that I wouldn\u2019t be returning, he was one of the first people that was on my line. \u2018Yo, what are we doing? What\u2019s up, OG? What\u2019s up, old head? Come on down here, man. We could use you down here.\u2019 \u2026 There\u2019s a lot of times that I don\u2019t answer the phone for some phone calls, because I don\u2019t even want to be swayed one way or I already know what you\u2019re calling about. But he\u2019s such a great person. I cannot not talk to him.\u201d<\/p>\n James recalled first meeting Maxey ahead of the 2020 NBA draft.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been the same person since the moment I met him, before he was drafted into the NBA,\u201d he said. \u201cThe same exact person. He came to my house and at that point in time he was 19 years old, so he was actually hanging with (my sons) Bronny and Bryce. They were playing video games inside the house. So I met him and said what\u2019s up to him when he was going into the draft. But he was closer to Bronny and Bryce than he was to me, so he was hanging with them.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHe came in and he was super respectful to me, super respectful to my wife, super respectful to everyone in the house. Bright smile and just super down to earth. From the moment he\u2019s gotten drafted to the perennial All-Star, superstar that he\u2019s becoming, nothing has changed. Nothing has changed in his demeanor. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd we all know how people can be the humble kid coming in, and then some success happens and they\u2019re totally different. The kid has been the same person, man. It\u2019s hard sometimes, too. I\u2019m not faulting anyone for having some change. \u2026 But this kid \u2014 this young man now \u2014 is beyond his years for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Maxey and the Sixers\u2019 pitch ultimately yielded a 22-time All-Star.<\/p>\n According to James, he wasn\u2019t always sure whether he\u2019d be suiting up for another NBA season after the Lakers\u2019 second-round playoff exit.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere were a lot of moments,\u201d he said, \u201conce we lost to OKC, of, \u2018Is this the end?\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n James still felt driven to play.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI think the only thing that I\u2019d continue to say to myself was, if you still have an opportunity to do what you love, then why just say I\u2019m done? Do you have a real reason? \u2026 I think that\u2019s what it came down to,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m not going to cheat it. I\u2019m not just going to show up to practice, no stretch, no workout, no weight room, no recovery, no nothing \u2014 just go on the court and play. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no way I could do that and be successful in this game. \u2026 Once the curtain is closed, the curtain is closed. And if you still have an opportunity to play at a high level and compete at a high level, then why not?\u201d<\/p>\n Of course, Maxey was far from the lone factor that drew James to the Sixers. He touched on plenty in the podcast, including the Sixers\u2019 stunning summer trade to acquire Jaylen Brown.<\/a><\/p>\n Joel Embiid is a giant piece, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the most important (parts), to be honest, is the big fella,\u201d James said. \u201cHe\u2019s done everything in our league and the only thing he has not done is win a championship. I want to try to help him get that first one. He\u2019s been the MVP of our league, he has a gold medal, All-Stars, signature shoes, bunch of money, beautiful family. He has everything. He has the city on his back.\u00a0<\/p>\n