Tyrese Maxey lands on Time’s NEXT100 list, with new Sixers teammate LeBron James writing his tribute
The distinction recognizes the Sixers guard among the world’s most influential rising stars. James, who confirmed Maxey's role in wooing him to Philly, said he's "just getting started."
Tyrese Maxey helped bring LeBron James to Philadelphia. Now, James is helping explain how the Sixers guard influenced his decision beyond sending a few text messages.
On Wednesday, Time Magazine named Maxey to its 2026 TIME100 Next list, recognizing him among the world’s most influential rising stars. His new teammate, James, wrote the accompanying tribute.
“Tyrese Maxey gets better every season, and he’s really just getting started,” James wrote.
James pointed not only to Maxey’s development as a player, but also to his growth as a leader. He acknowledged something that has become increasingly clear since James arrived in Philadelphia this summer: Maxey played a significant role in getting him here.
James wrote that the two have trained in the summer together for five years and said their relationship away from basketball influenced his decision to sign with the Sixers.
It is a relationship years in the making. Maxey first worked out with James before entering the NBA in 2020, and they continued training together each offseason.
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Maxey had even floated Philadelphia to James during a previous free-agency period, though the possibility became much more realistic this summer after the Sixers acquired Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics and James decided to leave Los Angeles.
James said at Sixers media day Monday that he had a “great relationship” with Maxey and confirmed they had multiple conversations about Philadelphia before he signed.
The latest honor among honors
The Time recognition is the latest marker of Maxey’s continued rise.
The 25-year-old averaged career highs of 28.3 points and 6.6 assists last season. He earned his second All-Star selection and started the game for the first time. He was later named third-team All-NBA, the first All-NBA honor of his career.
Earlier this month, ESPN ranked Maxey as the NBA’s No. 11 player entering the 2026-27 season — ahead of new teammate Brown, who ranked 14th, and James, who came in at No. 18. Maxey is a two-time All-Star, the 2023-24 NBA Most Improved Player, and was All-NBA third team last season.
Maxey joins another Philadelphia star who recently made the jump onto Time’s radar.
Jalen Hurts was selected for the TIME100 Next list in 2023, with Peyton Manning writing his tribute after Hurts led the Eagles to the Super Bowl and signed a five-year contract extension. Two years later, following the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX championship, Hurts graduated to TIME’s main list of the world’s 100 most influential people, with Derek Jeter writing his tribute.
