Sixers News: Tyrese Maxey Nominated for Annual Award
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey has been nominated for an award.
This season has been quite special for Tyrese Maxey, who has managed to adapt to a new role for the Philadelphia 76ers, which has coincided with the 23-year-old soaring to new highs in several categories.
Going into the 76ers’ final seven games, Maxey has put up a career high 25 points and six assists, while shooting a commendable 44 percent from the field, which was enough for the former Kentucky guard to earn his first All-Star appearance earlier on in the season.
Given these improvements to his game, Maxey has been tipped by some to be among the favorites for the Most Improved Player of the Year, which is usually awarded to the player whom has made the biggest step up since the previous season.
Despite making quite the case for receiving the award, there is no definitive shortlist for it yet, which can’t be said for the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award, which does include the Sixers’ All-Star as a candidate.
According to the league, the award is given to a player “who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. Current NBA players will select the winner from these six finalists (one finalist from each NBA division).”
Looking at how Maxey carries himself on and off the court, often being spotted wearing a smile throughout the game, the nomination shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.
Other nominees for the award include Kevin Love from the Miami Heat, Harrison Barnes from the Sacramento Kings, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Tre Jones of the San Antonio Spurs, and Jarrett Allen of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
