In the Philadelphia 76ers' massive success in winning the LeBron James sweepstakes, Tyrese Maxey revealed that recruiting the superstar didn't require much effort.
Despite reports of being the driving force behind the Sixers' recruitment push, the star guard said it didn't actually take him many phone calls or text messages to convince James to join Philadelphia.
"It wasn't a lot of convincing. You know, it's a couple phone calls, couple texts. ... We're good friends," Maxey told John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
"So now, I guess we're friends. He's a lot older than me, but I guess we're friends."
Tyrese Maxey leads 76ers' push to sign LeBron James
Beyond the Jaylen Brown blockbuster trade, it is widely reported that Tyrese Maxey emerged as a major influence on the Philadelphia 76ers' odds to secure the free-agency commitment of LeBron James.
Considering their significant Klutch Sports ties, James sees Maxey as a little brother, and their relationship dates back to the All-Star guard's college days.
As such, VJ Edgecombe suggested that Maxey already knew James would be heading to Philadelphia after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers.
As he is set to enter the 2026-27 season with the 76ers as the NBA's most anticipated team, Maxey sees major possibilities happening for Philadelphia with the added presence of Brown and James.
"Those guys are really good," Maxey added. "I think this season will be really great."