Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey was named the NBA’s most improved player Tuesday night, beating out Chicago Bulls guard Coby White and Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun.
Maxey, 23, had a breakthrough season with the Sixers, averaging career highs in points (25.9), rebounds (3.7), assists (6.2), steals (1.0) and 3-pointers made (212). He also became an All-Star for the first time as he transitioned into playing point guard full-time following James Harden being traded to the LA Clippers.
Maxey had 51 first-place votes, 18 second-place votes and 10 third-place votes, finishing on 79 ballots and receiving a total of 319 total points.
White was on more total ballots with 91 but had 32 first-place votes, 43 second-place votes and 16 third-place votes for 305 total points.
Sengun had 92 points in third, followed by Thunder forward Jalen Williams in fourth and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson in fifth.
“It feels great,” Maxey said of winning the award. “Somebody like myself who prides myself on putting in a lot of work and outworking people and finding ways to get one percent better every time I get in the gym, it feels good for that to come to light, honestly.”
The No. 20 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft out of Kentucky, Maxey has grown from a part-time player as a rookie into an essential core player in Philadelphia, and the perfect long-term running mate for the league’s reigning most valuable player, Joel Embiid.
There has arguably been no one more in Maxey’s corner than Embiid, who constantly refers to him as the team’s best player.