Tyrese Maxey & VJ Edgecombe speak after First Sixers Practice

Tyrese Maxey & VJ Edgecombe speak after First Sixers Practice

This is obviously a little different structure as far as having a couple practices and you do literally like an across the world flight. How are you sort of navigating sort of a different type of training camp practice preseason type situation this year? Yeah, I mean it’s different. Got to adapt to it, but uh I think the first day was solid. I think uh we’ll have another good practice tomorrow and then get on the plane and fly across the world. What do you do on a long flight? Probably I don’t know what time we leave like 3 or something. So, probably eat, be at the practice, talk to the teammates, mess around with them for like probably 3 hours, then try to go to sleep, I guess. I don’t know yet. We’ll see. We’ll see. But do you look at that as good for team bonding that trip? I do. I do look at it like that. I think it’ll be a good a good um camaraderie trip. I don’t know a lot of people who’s been to Abu Dhabi. I know Dwell has. I don’t know who else has been, but I sure haven’t. So can’t wait to I’m looking forward to going out there and just seeing some things. You talked about setting a standard every day yesterday and some of like the other phrases that were said were taking it day by day. I guess how do those two messages like align like trying to set a standard be consistent and handh day by day because habits are built daily. They’re not built like what’s the saying? They didn’t build Rome overnight. You know what I’m saying? And so it’s like every single day, step by step, day by day, you have to get better and better at those habits, being better and better at building that standard. I think um you know, we’ve done a good job with that so far. When did the switch come for you to be like such a vocal leader? I mean, I I know it comes overall, you know, as you get older, but it seems like you’re more so the leader now. I think just like probably like the end of like my fourth year maybe. I just remember Joel kind of pulling me to the side just telling me like my voice is going to be needed. You know, people just see how hard I work, see how hard, you know, I mean how much I care about winning, how much I care about the the franchise. And you know, Joel’s a he’s a more reserved guy. Of course, he’s talented on the court. That’s what he does. But he was just telling me like that’s a way for me to step up and lead and be vocal. So kind of that. Last year I kind of like tried to start it at the beginning, but I didn’t really get really get going the way I needed to like probably towards the middle of the season and now it’s just just what I do now. I guess I’m old. When you sort of transition that to sort of organizing offseason stuff, whether it’s here, Dallas, LA, like how did you go about doing that? Are you just sending out text to people like, “Hey, come meet me here if you if you’re free.” Like I guess how how did you sort of start doing that in the summer? I started with Justin from the season. And I told him like, you know, as soon as the season’s over, as soon as my hand heals and I start working out, like come to Dallas for a week and just show you how I work. Then of course we got BJ. I talked to him, came up here, mess with him a little bit. Um LA was more of a thing like like they always do like the runs in LA and I’m always in the in LA working out anyway. So like listen, hey, grab all the young guys. Let’s go do something fun. We all working out, playing basketball. Go work out with them, but also do something fun that like it would just be cool. like see a lot of 67 68 guys trying to ride roller coasters. Most of them are scared anyway. Scared of height. So it was pretty fun. What was the um adjustment for you you know finding yourself last year at the top of scout and reporting to take you make that adjustment? I think the biggest adjustment for me like like I said towards the middle of the year I kind of figured out just how to manipulate the game. Like I had to find out how to get guys open get guys shots. The more I can like penetrate and kick and get guys open get guys easier shots it it loosen the defense off of me. Now I can make plays for myself. Joel talked a little bit about you guys making changes to the offense this year. I know it’s obviously it’s one practice, but how have you noticed that impacted maybe where you’re getting the ball or how you’re going to practice this year? I mean it’s all different like I mean but at the end of the day like I can adapt to whatever I have to adapt to. I think uh it’s certain ways that I can figure out like how to get the ball when I need to get the ball in offense for sure. But um I think I like it because it’s free flowing. We have a couple more guys. You know, Jared when he gets back, VJ is out there. I think Trendan is gonna be able to make some plays and the list goes on. Of course, Paul and Joel, but uh those guys can make plays, you know, on the ball and off the ball, Kelly. And if we could do that, if we can penetrate and kick for each other and play that way, it’s going to be hard to guard. Speaking of Trendon, what was it like having your first formal professional practice with somebody who you knew so well growing up? Um, it’s cool. It’s cool, man. I think it’s uh it’s just funny, man. Like we see things so like we talk all the time. So like for the years we talked all the time. So certain things that I see like if it’s funny or something like that, I can look at him and he’s going to laugh too or he’s going to you know what I’m saying? But other than that, man, I think Tren is going to be good for us. I think he’s somebody who’s in that same age as me where he’s like the bridge. Uh we connect to the young guys, we connect to the older guys, and u it’s going to be good for our team. I think he’s a good personality, someone that’s really going to fit in and um I think he’ll be talented on the court, too. He fits a role that we’ve needed. So, you took a big step forward individually defensively last year. You know, what steps have you taken this off seasonason to, you know, take another step forward in that area? Just for me, it’s like tendencies uh in competing. Uh I yall say I couldn’t guard. So, hey, I just started playing playing better defense. Tyrese, I remember around this time last year, you were talking about developing a twoman game with KJ. I think you compared it to James Harden and PJ Tucker. Do you view now Trendan as someone that maybe you can develop a similar thing with? I know it’s not exactly the same player, but do you envision that sort of or working in a in a similar way? Kind of. The only difference between like KJ and Trendy, I feel like Tren could be somebody who handles more. You know what I’m saying? and I’m setting screens, setting go screens, and creating that confusion where the KJ was like 95% the roller. And I think uh turning somebody who cuz he can handle cuz he can make plays. He’s going to be someone who’s pushing push the ball up the court and like, oh, DHO here, then we can play off that or fake DHO, we can play off that. So, I think that’s kind of the the thing that we’ll kind of work on the most. Early part of training camp obviously, but maybe have you seen any notice anything different about them maybe from last year to this year? 100%. I think the Euro stuff really like um like put his confidence on another level. You know what I mean? Like he’s just playing like a lot more free. I feel like he’s catching the ball a lot better. He’s protecting the rim like he always does, but he’s more vocal. He’s more confident. Um you can see him smiling a little bit more. That’s when you know somebody feels comfortable is when they’re like a little bit like loosened. They’re smiling. They’re having a lot more fun. Um you know that’s that’s the best feeling when you know what you’re doing. You know what you’re here for and you know what you’re capable of. I think I seen him hit three today too. So that was pretty cool. You talked about working out with Justin. You talked about working out with Justin. You spent a lot of time with him over the summer. How have you seen him grow from something? We’re going to need him. We’re going to need him. We’re going to now like we he showed we could do last year. Now the thing is like, okay, when you come back your second year, what like what else can you do? We know like we know we’re going to need you defend. We know you’re going to need you to hit some shots. Okay. Are you capable of driving a couple times, making a play here and there? Are you capable of, you know, coming off a ball screen here and there? So like I feel like that’s what we we’re trying to figure out with him right now. But him is the same way. Like I just want him to be confident, keep shooting. No matter if he misses or not, it doesn’t matter. Especially right now in training camp. Um shoot the open ones. Um play out the close outs and just be confident and guard pick up the ball every single time. Like don’t there shouldn’t be there shouldn’t go a position where you’re not you don’t feel like you’re pick up the ball and guarding it. So BJ for first uh NBA training camp practice. I guess how was it tonight? Uh it was great. Uh Tennessee high we playing less than I think less than a week or so. So it’s a good day just getting reps. Um, like I said, it was a great practice overall. I guess what’s kind of like your first kind of initial impressions of nurse and like how he wants to run practices and things like that. I mean, I I didn’t know what to expect coming in to be honest. So, I mean, I’m neutral on that. I didn’t know. But overall, it’s been great. Like I said, you know, we getting a lot of reps, different things, things we need to do in game, things we going to do in game, how we want to play, or what’s not. So, yeah. Nick talked yesterday about playing a little bit at the one, two, even a little bit at the three. How have you found that kind of uh versatility in practice so far? How do you feel your ball skills are coming? Uh I just say I mean it’s it’s basketball at the end of the day. Uh we’re all everyone on the court is interchangeable. Um so you know whoever got the ball can bring it up. You know what I’m saying? Um so say we have a lot of we have a lot of versatile lives. Um and sometimes I’m running, sometimes bringing the ball up, I’m trailing, who knows? But yeah, I’m just I’m just out there. I’m just out there trying to make winning plays. I know you have nothing to compare this to at NBA wise, but you guys are going to practice here tomorrow and they get on like a super long flight for for Abu Dhabi. Um, how are you sort of like prepping for all of that as far as, you know, getting ready for for a trip like that right out of the gate? Uh, I don’t even know how to prepare for real. I I don’t I just ask questions to everybody on the team what to do. But most of them, this longest flight also, I feel like the only person there that’s been I would die being played there was Joe. So that’s why I asked a ton of questions, too. But like I said, it’s just treat like a road game, road trip. Um, it’s 13 hour flight. Nothing I’m used to. I mean, the longest I’ve been on like eight, so I think it should be fine. Any tips that anybody give you as far as how to to get ready for something like that? And just make sure you recover. Uh, you going recovery going to be big. Um, especially after practices, pract practices are intense, so recovery going to be big. Um, especially getting on a long flight like that, you know, up in the air, altitude and all that. So, you know, bro, it should be good. I know you haven’t played in the game yet, but since you were drafted, what has been the most eye opening thing for you? How good these players are? Yeah, they’re good. Like everyone on the like they’re on everybody for a reason. That’s so I realized like everyone around here can hoop. When when did you I mean have you had a you know they’re all good but have you had a moment where you said okay I know I can compete on this level. Yeah I mean that’s that’s been my mindset before I even played in NBA I know I can compete. Um it’s just a it’s just a mentality thing for me. Um I just you know I feel like I was given I was blessed with different abilities um to go out there and compete. Um so I’m just like I said I’m just happy to be here to be honest. What’s been the difference? No. What’s been the difference with spacing? Oh, transition from college. Yeah. No 3 seconds. I mean 3 seconds now. So you can’t just sit in the sit in the paint. Everyone is versatile. Everyone can shoot. Everyone can do all that. So like you say, the floor space, you know, they have different principles sometimes. Some teams do. Um so overall, like I say, and I’m surrounded with shooters, so it’s this opening the floor for everybody. I know he’s not up to full speed yet, but what have your impressions been of just playing alongside you well? He’s an MVP in the league. That’s that’s all I can tell. He’s MVP league when we’ve seen it. So, yeah. BJ, I know you talked yesterday about preparing for the 82. It’ll be by far the most games you haven’t played in a year. So, did you add anything new in terms of strength and conditioning stuff or is it just about more of what you’re already doing? Yeah, it’s just kind of more of what I’m already doing, but I’m just still trying to find a routine. That’s what it is. Just trying to find a routine to stick to that. Um, lifting lifting a lot more. Um, lifting a lot more, lifting a lot heavier. Um, yeah, I’m resting a lot. It’s I can’t, you know, I got to get my 8 to 10 hours of sleep now. Um, just taking recovery more serious to be honest with you. Has there been any dietary stuff that they’ve told you like, hey, maybe cut down on I don’t know if you like sweets or anything like that? I don’t eat that bad. I don’t think I eat that bad. I think I you know but they they’ve been blueing some stuff you know little more veggies here and there I mean yeah so yeah I’m trying to get healthy still a kid but you know I’m trying to stay away from the candies and stuff but it’s hard yeah I know it’s hard when he was a kid so yeah when you talk about guys being you’re like wow they’re really really good where does that most show in like a practice setting or a workout setting like maybe some things that we wouldn’t think of not in a game like whoa okay these guys are doing stuff that I haven’t seen before or don’t see very often in the workouts like how many shots they make in the bro like it’s not just no five six shots in a row like they go you know what I’m saying it’s a lot of shots in a row they’re making and they’re all the same makes you know the muscle memory is crazy I watch I watch Reese shoot the ball a lot can shoot so and he’s shoot me from far from like 12 goal I’m seeing him you know what I’m saying so fish and they all like the same make same so that’s that’s the is different. Speaking of the the shot, I know you put in a lot of work on shooting this. Is there anything specifically that you were drilling down on like mechanics-wise coming or Yeah, I was I was flat like I had a flat shot um in college. Uh you know, so now my my arc is way better than it was a month ago or two maybe three weeks ago. My arc is way better. So, and it’s more consistent. So, it’s rare. It’s crazy now. is ready for me to shoot flat. I know when my shot is flat, man. So, yeah. What do you drill down on to ensure that you’re not your shot is not as flat? Like, getting it up, to be honest. Getting it up, keeping my elbows high, just getting it up. Um, I tend to just shoot the ball quick or, you know, I but I’m more focused on it. I’m paying more attention to details on my shots just so I can, you know, get better.

Tyrese Maxey & VJ Edgecombe speak after First Team Practice