Tyrese Maxey Still Holds Grudge Against Heat For Not Drafting Him

For the 76ers to have any chance of winning the series against the Heat, they’ll need Tyrese Maxey to prove to be an X-factor like he has at various point throughout the series.

During this season, Maxey has established himself as a rising star, and he’s certainly playing with a chip on his shoulder. Specifically, he still remembers all the teams that passed on him during the draft.

Those teams include the Heat, who Tyrese Maxey claims he thought were going to pick him.

“I thought Miami would take me at No. 20,” Maxey told Yahoo Sports. “Look, I was blessed and happy to be drafted, first and foremost. I thank the Lord every day for this opportunity. It was my dream to be drafted. But also looking at it as a competitor, I felt like I was good enough to be drafted at a higher position. When teams pass up on you, you never forget about it.”

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A @YahooSports exclusive with Sixers young star @TyreseMaxey on draft disappointment, a lesson he learned, and facing Miami, one of the teams he thought would select him: ‘You never forget about it.’ https://t.co/3jH7wmItCl

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) May 12, 2022

Tyrese Maxey would go on to explain how he likes the “fit” for him better in Philly, anyways.

“He used a phrase during the draft process: fit over pick,” Maxey explained. “He explained that where you’re drafted at is more important than the number you’re drafted at. And I think that really helped me and my mindset. You want to be somewhere where you can play right away, a place where you’re in the right system, the right situation with the right type of guys. And Rich knowing me, he knew I liked to win. So I’m thankful to be in a place where I can be competitive and help a team win a championship right away.”

Miami would end up selecting the seldomly-used Precious Achiuwa over Tyrese Maxey, a decision that the 76ers will likely thank them for.

The Sixers will look to keep the series alive against the Heat tonight.

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