April 03, 2026
PHILADELPHIA – As he reached 15 minutes played in his 65th appearance of the 2025-26 regular season, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey officially qualified for All-NBA and end-of-season awards such as MVP on Friday night.
Maxey officially reached the NBA's controversial 65-game threshold for end-of-season awards against a Minnesota Timberwolves team that, on Friday, ruled out Anthony Edwards, ending his chances of meeting the minimum games played. On Saturday, the Sixers will host the Detroit Pistons, who just ruled out Cade Cunningham for another week, which will end his chances of getting to 65 games after suffering a collapsed lung last month.
The day before his earlier-than-expected return from a finger tendon injury at the end of March, Maxey was asked if he had considered the possibility of missing out on All-NBA honors as debate stirred surrounding Cunningham, who Maxey knows well from their shared Texas roots.
"Yeah. I mean, one, I hope Cade gets healthy ASAP, man. He's good for the game of basketball. Myself, I just want to get healthy for my teammates, get healthy for this organization, try to make a playoff push, and be right," Maxey said. "As far as the rule, the rules are the rules. I don't get to make the rules. That's above my pay grade. I just come in here and play, and go to work every day. I think it is hard to be All-NBA and MVP and all those different things if you don't play a certain amount of games. Do I know what the number should be? No clue. But I do understand where they’re coming from. You’re impactful if you're available, you know what I'm saying? So I understand it. Cade deserves to be in MVP conversations, All-NBA conversations because of what he's done with that organization, that franchise. I just hope he still gets that, and I hope he gets back on the court soon. Myself as well."
Maxey returned a day later, but Cunningham is now out of the picture, as is Edwards. Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Dončić just suffered another injury, jeopardizing his ability to reach 65 games.
Not only has Maxey's candidacy now been certified, but it happened as the field has been weakened around him. He should be considered a very strong bet to be named to an All-NBA team for the first time in his six-year career.
