CAMDEN, N.J. -- Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey has established himself as a popular figure in NBA circles. He has endeared himself to his peers with his work ethic, his star talent, and his personality as he is one of those people who is the same every day. He always has a smile on his face and is a great person to be around on a daily basis.
Due to Maxey being who he is, he has linked up and worked out in the summertime with proven champions such as LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the past. Those two have welcomed Maxey to workouts in past summers and now they are on the same team in Philadelphia as they all look to help the Sixers get to the mountaintop.
"He’s just like my little brother, I would say," Caldwell-Pope said of
Maxey. "We pretty much work out with the same trainer in the summer times, every summer. We worked out a few times together."
A 2-time champion with the Los Angeles Lakers (2020) and the Denver Nuggets (2023), Caldwell-Pope is hoping to bring his productivity, experience, and veteran know-how to Philadelphia and help Maxey and Co. get over the hump. Maxey has been impressed with what he has brought to the team in training camp thus far and he has been able to build that relationship with him just as he has with James.
"Same as LeBron, basically," Maxey said of their friendship. "I see him every day in the summertime, Monday through Friday. He even lifts at the same gym as me. So, I know his entire family. I see them all the time. He's just a good dude. Great dude. Great vet to have. I think his personality is going to really fit with this team. He's a guy that knows how to sacrifice. He's a guy who knows how to play a role and we're going to really need that. We're going to really need that."
Caldwell-Pope is betting on Maxey taking to heart a lot of the lessons he can learn from the likes of himself, James, and Jaylen Brown. Those three bring a wealth of knowledge to Philadelphia and Maxey can learn from them as he continues to grow as a player and hopes to be a champion.
"I think for him, just his focus, his mindset, and he knows exactly what he wants to play, and what he wants to do," Caldwell-Pope finished. "I think like with that going into this season, I think it's going to be great as far as like just learning from the veteran guys and just adding to his game that's already polished. I think it's gonna be great for him."
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers' Tyrese Maxey, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope open up on relationship
