“Allen Iversons of the World”: Tyrese Maxey is a Top 5 Guard in the Eastern Conference, Claims Former Clippers Star

Tyrese Maxey has emerged as one of the best guards in the NBA over the last few seasons—the Philadelphia 76ers player even earned his first All-Star nod last season. Since James Harden departed from Philly last year, Maxey has taken over as the team’s starting point guard. However, former Clippers star Lou Williams thinks that Maxey is more of a shooting guard.

On FanDuel TV’s ‘Run It Back‘, Williams was asked to discuss Maxey’s standing as a PG in the East. In response, he said,

“Honestly, I look at him as a two-guard. I put him in that catchway space of the Allen Iversons of the world. You know, small scoring guards. I don’t look at Tyrese Maxey as one of those guys that’s going to set the table and make sure Joel gets shots, or Paul’s gonna get shots.”

“He’s [not] gonna come down and be a facilitator. No, he’s putting pressure on this rim, he’s putting pressure on the basket every single time,” he added.

Williams added that Maxey may rack up some assists, but he is not a floor general like Tyrese Haliburton is. He builds tempo with his scoring. But his job is not to make everyone in the team better like a traditional PG.

Chandler Parsons agreed with Williams’ stance on the 23-year-old. But he still considers Maxey among the best point guards in the East if he qualifies to be one. He said,

“If he’s a point guard, he’s top-five in the Eastern Conference, no doubt. Look at Haliburton, Brunson, Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard. Tyrese Maxey is right there.”

The 76ers guard has played well to start the season. In the first three games, Maxey has averaged 31.3 points, which is a real step up for him. But his assists numbers have been discouraging. Maxey is averaging 3.7 dimes per game, a near 50% decrease from last season. This is also because he has been the main source of offense while Embiid and PG are injured.

During the Sixers’ most recent game against the Pacers, Maxey showcased his Iverson-esque playing style. He scored the most points by a player this season with 45 points. In the last seconds of overtime, Maxey converted a tough left-handed floater to extend the Sixers’ lead to three points that eventually secured the win.

Maxey completely outshined Pacers’ All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton with his clutch outing. The 6-foot-5 guard finished with 22 points and only two assists. Unlike Maxey, Haliburton’s impact as a player is heavily based on his playmaking ability. His inability to contribute to plays limited the impact that he had on the game.

Iverson compared to Maxey

Tyrese Maxey and Allen Iverson play a very similar style of basketball, both guards have an instinct to attack the rim. This makes them top scorers for their height and position. The 6 ft. 2 guard, Maxey, has blossomed into a star at a young age and is following in Iverson’s footsteps in Philly.

Both players had reached a similar level during their 4th NBA seasons.

Iverson and Maxey both made their All-Star debuts during their 4th season in the League. The legendary guard had the upper hand in scoring, with 28.4 points to Tyrese’s 25.9 points per game. But the 1-time All-Star has held his own in terms of playmaking, with his 6.2 assists trumping Iverson’s 4.7 dimes per game. They had almost identical rebounding numbers.

Maxey is by no means going to become the next Allen Iverson. However, the similarities between their playing style has warranted such comparisons.