Tyrese Maxey back at practice, still ‘a ways away’ from return

Dec 7, 2022 - 6:50 PM

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Now 12-12 on the season, the Philadelphia 76ers are mercifully inching closer to getting back to full strength. Joel Embiid has played the last four games and James Harden returned after a month-long absence on Monday in Houston. Now, we have an update on Tyrese Maxey, who has been out since suffering a small fracture in his left foot in the game against Milwaukee on Nov. 18.

First off, love the afro for Tyrese. Aesthetics aside, it’s a good sign that he is out of the walking boot and able to run, even if he’s not sprinting or jumping yet. In speaking with reporters, head coach Doc Rivers also mentioned that Maxey started shooting again two days ago. You can watch Doc’s full comments below courtesy of Dave Uram:

This was the full statement on the “a ways away” timeline:

“I guess the only concerning thing is he’s not able to jump yet, so that would mean he’s a ways away.”

For the “one percent better” every day Maxey, not being able to work on his game has been frustrating:

“He’s been going AWOL, nuts, stir crazy is a better word. Calling us, Facetiming us, ‘I don’t know what to do.’ Sit at home and watch TV, I don’t know what to tell you.”

The Sixers certainly need Maxey back on the court. On the season, the third-year guard is averaging career-highs of 22.9 points and 4.4 assists per game, shooting 42.2 percent from three on 6.8 attempts per game. Prior to the injury, Tyrese was legitimately working himself into the All-Star conversation. For fans, Maxey has also often been the most joyful part of the viewing experience.

While there’s still no specific timeline for his return, today is an encouraging update for Maxey nonetheless. We’ll keep you posted here as we learn more moving forward.