"Sheeeesh!!! This hard!!!!!" - Tyrese Maxey dominates 76ers jersey sales, claims spotlight on SLAM's next-gen cover

Amid his breakout season, Philadelphia 76ers rising star point guard Tyrese Maxey is Slam’s latest cover athlete. The news comes shortly after his Sixers jersey was listed among the NBA’s top 10 sellers, marking a steep increase in the 23-year-old’s ever-growing popularity.

Maxey’s Slam 248 cover celebrates the magazine’s “30th-anniversary takeover.” It features the caption, “The 30 players who defined our first 30 years and the 30 players who could define our next 30 years.”

As part of the NBA’s next generation of rising stars 25 or younger, Maxey represents the latter. He also follows in the footsteps of another Philly legend, Allen Iverson, who graced the covers of numerous Slam editions.

Upon the debut of his Slam cover and the corresponding t-shirt, Maxey couldn’t contain his excitement as he reacted on X/Twitter on Wednesday.

“Sheeeesh!!! This hard!!!!!,” Maxey tweeted.

Tyrese Maxey has increased his scoring average in each of his first four seasons since being drafted No. 21 by Philadelphia in the 2020 NBA draft. This season, he is averaging over five more points than last year when he was already viewed as the Sixers’ top young player.

His continued improvement has resulted in him being the betting favorite for the 2024 Most Improved Player of the Year award. So, at this point, the sky appears to be the limit for the electric floor general.

Through 42 games, Maxey is averaging 25.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.1 3-pointers per game on 44.8% shooting.

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Tyrese Maxey ranks ahead of Joel Embiid in jersey sales

Tyrese Maxey placing ninth on NBAStore.com’s top-selling jersey list for the first half of the 2023-24 NBA season came as a surprise to many.

Maxey is one of just two players in the top 15 who haven’t made an All-Star appearance yet (Victor Wembanyama, fourth). Although, that could change on Thursday when All-Star reserves are announced.

Perhaps more surprisingly, Maxey ranks ahead of his co-star, Joel Embiid, who sits at No. 12.

Embiid is much more accomplished than Maxey, as the league’s reigning MVP with seven All-Star selections, among several other accolades. Nonetheless, it appears that Maxey’s Sixers jersey is in higher demand among Philly fans, and NBA fans in general, than Embiid’s.

It’s unclear exactly why this is the case. However, the 23-year-old’s exciting, fast-paced playstyle, along with his relatability, standing at just 6-foot-2, likely play big roles in his ranking.

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