Tyrese Maxey Talks 'Dangerous' 76ers, VJ Edgecombe, NBA 2K26 and More in B/R Interview

The 2024-25 season went anything but according to plan for the Philadelphia 76ers, which means they might be in the position to be an overlooked underdog that can sneak up on the best teams in the Eastern Conference during the upcoming campaign.

And Tyrese Maxey understands that classification.

"That's a fair assumption," the guard told Bleacher Report when discussing being an under-the-radar challenger. 

"The biggest thing for us is we're trying to get ourselves together first before we go out and look at the competition and the field. We have to be extremely healthy and extremely together and find ways to get better. Not just as a team, but individually as well. I'm going to do my part as far as getting better and getting the team more camaraderie so we can be more successful this season."

Turning the page makes sense after a 2024-25 season that was largely defined by what could have been for a 76ers team that had aspirations of contending for a title after forming a potential Big Three with Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George.

Instead, injuries prevented the group from delivering on those expectations. Maxey was limited to 52 games, which was more than Embiid (19) and George (41). Throw in promising rookie Jared McCain playing just 23 games, and it was something of a nightmare season for the organization.

The result was a 24-58 record and no playoff appearance, which has Maxey focused on one thing only heading into a new season.

"Winning is the biggest thing," he said. "I'm someone who believes in winning. I don't believe in small accolades, I don't believe in moral goals. I believe in winning. I've won all my life, so that's what we're trying to get back to."

As is seemingly always the case in Philadelphia, health will be the most important thing since there are still lingering questions about the knee health of Embiid and George. Still, the talent is there to make a run if everyone is healthy, especially in an Eastern Conference that is relatively wide open thanks to a combination of injuries and player movement.

The Boston Celtics will be without Jayson Tatum (Achilles) at the start of the campaign and traded away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis this offseason. The Milwaukee Bucks no longer have Damian Lillard, and the reigning Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers will be without Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles).

Perhaps that will open the door for Philadelphia to make a run, especially if Maxey continues on the upward trajectory he has displayed throughout his career.

The University of Kentucky product has increased his scoring averages in each of his five seasons since he was the No. 21 pick of the 2020 NBA draft and made his first All-Star Game during the 2023-24 campaign.

He followed that up by posting a career-high 26.3 points per game to go along with 6.1 assists and 1.8 steals a night. While he has played with stars such as Embiid, James Harden and George, he is no longer overshadowed and is a foundational building block of the 76ers' organization.

And he's ready to show fans what's in store for 2025-26.

"There are a lot of things I've been working on this offseason," Maxey said. "I'm just ready to get back out there and show it. I don't want to talk about it as much, I want to get out there and show everyone this season. I'm trying to prove some people wrong. Not just myself, but the team as a whole. We're in this position where we can be dangerous."

One thing he has done this offseason that he does want to talk about is his partnership with NBA 2K26 to help promote the video game's historic announcement for this year's edition.

WNBA Player Cards will be available in the MyTEAM mode for the first time in 2K history, meaning gamers can mix and match different lineups with stars from both leagues. What's more, there will be a WNBA Domination tier, WNBA uniforms, WNBA courts, and specific commentary from the team of Kevin Harlan, Greg Anthony and Stan Van Gundy.

"I think it's going to be great," Maxey said of the game's newest addition. "It's going to be cool to see the mix. That's going to be really dope to me. My biggest thing is I can't wait to play with some of the legends I got to see play when I was younger. To play with them in a video game is a really big milestone."

And he knows exactly what legends he plans on using in the game.

"I gotta put Maya Moore in there," he said. "I want to see a Maya Moore and A'ja Wilson mix. Candace Parker, back in her prime, would be really cool, too. My dad's favorite point guard was Diana Taurasi too, so probably get her in there as well."

Maxey is no stranger to playing NBA 2K as one of the game's partners, but does that mean he would win a tournament against his 76ers teammates?

"Probably not," he said while laughing. "I think Justin Edwards and VJ Edgecombe play a lot of 2K. They've been talking a lot of trash recently, so they're probably our two best players."

If Edgecombe is as dominant on the court as he is as an NBA 2K player, the 76ers will be even more dangerous challengers in 2025-26. After all, they selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft with the hope he could become a franchise building block for years to come.

His athleticism stands out, which allows him to play above the rim offensively and swarm opposing ball-handlers defensively. He averaged 2.1 steals per game in his one collegiate season at Baylor, which helped him win the Big 12 Rookie of the Year. 

Throw in his ability to hit from the outside when defenders are focused on some of his teammates, and he could be the ideal mix in a lineup with Embiid, Maxey and George.

"Extremely excited," Maxey said of playing alongside Edgecombe. "I think he's going to be great. He has all the tools to be someone extremely special in this league. I think he also has the work ethic to go along with it. And the personality. When those things match, you normally get something pretty good from it."

Teams with preestablished stars such as Embiid, Maxey and George don't often have the opportunity to select such a difference-maker so high in the draft, so Edgecombe's presence is something of a silver lining to last season's struggles.

And another reason for 76ers fans to believe in the team's ability to bounce back and surpass expectations as a challenger instead of a favorite.