It might not be one of the most familiar names in the 2020 NBA Draft class, but you're going to want to get to know Tyrese Maxey.
Projected mid-to-late first round, the Kentucky product is without a doubt one of the best pure scorers in this draft class. Any NBA franchise that's looking to add a burst of offence to their second unit should gladly welcome Maxey with open arms and you might see his draft stock continue to rise because of that.
With his Pro Day airing on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 29, you might find yourself asking who is Tyrese Maxey? We have you covered below.
About Tyrese Maxey
Maxey is from Garland, Texas, just outside of Dallas.
The 19-year-old guard stands in at 6-foot-3, 198 lbs. with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, projecting solid size and length for a prototypical guard in the NBA.
Maxey was a five-star recruit coming out of high school, ranking as the 13th-best prospect in the 2019 recruiting class according to ESPN's Top 100. He didn't take very long to make his college decision, electing to attend the University of Kentucky over home-state Southern Methodist University.
He was a McDonald's All-American, earned Mr. Basketball in Texas and helped the United States U18 team win Gold at the FIBA Americas Championship in 2018.
College resume
Maxey started his career at Kentucky with a bang, exploding for a game-high 26 points off the bench in his first collegiate game to knock off No. 1-ranked Michigan State. After working off the bench as a reserve in his first three games with the Wildcats, head coach John Calipari elected to slide Maxey into the starting lineup for the remainder of the season where he'd score in double figures in 20 of the 28 games he started.
He'd go on to have a successful freshman season averaging 14.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, shooting 42.7% from the field on his way to All-SEC Second Team and SEC All-Freshman Team honours.
NBA projection
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Maxey is a pure scorer that can fill it up in a variety of ways. He's a shot creator that has a number of dribble moves to generate his own offence from all three levels of the floor. He's shifty, which makes up for a slight lack of burst in trying to shake defenders with stepbacks or crossovers to get to his spots on the floor to score. He's creative in finishing around the rim and can also stop on a dime to pull up for mid-range jumpers.
While he has the potential to work as a combo guard in the NBA – playing either point guard or shooting guard – his playmaking and shot selection still need to improve in order for an NBA team to completely trust him in that role. He works hard on defence and uses his long arms to his advantage as an on or off-ball defender.
Should Maxey reach the maximum of his untapped potential, he could end up being the steal of the draft.
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