Tyrese Maxey has been sidelined since March 10 with a tendon injury in his right pinkie finger, leaving the Philadelphia 76ers to navigate a brutal stretch without their All-Star guard. Philadelphia sits at 39-33, clinging to seventh place in the Eastern Conference and fighting to avoid the Play-In Tournament.

But Maxey isn’t letting a bum finger stop him from having some fun.

The 25-year-old made his debut on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on Tuesday night, and naturally, the conversation turned to his well-documented Marvel obsession. Fallon posed a challenge to the self-proclaimed MCU superfan: build an Avengers starting five using NBA players. Maxey didn’t hesitate.

He went with LeBron James as Captain America. Makes sense. The 41-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star has been leading teams for two decades, inspires both fear and respect, and refuses to slow down, no matter how many times people predict his decline. If anyone embodies Steve Rogers’ stubborn durability and unshakable leadership, it’s the guy who still shows up at 5 a.m. for workouts, ready to outwork players half his age.

Meanwhile, Thor went to Luka Doncic, the Lakers guard with the godlike offensive toolkit. The Slovenian star has the size, the power, and the flair for the dramatic that would make the God of Thunder proud. Plus, both have a habit of showing up at the most important moments looking like they just rolled out of bed and still dominating everyone in sight.

Maxey’s point was simple: “They call him Luka Magic for a reason. Only he can do some of the things that you know, what I’m saying. Only he can do those things. And Thor was the same way. Only Thor can do those things. He’s magical. And that’s how I feel about Luka.”

The two-time All-Star tagged Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as Iron Man, the genius in the suit who makes everything look effortless. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard has emerged as one of the league’s most complete players, blending creativity and precision in a way that feels almost unfair.

For Spider-Man, Maxey kept it humble, giving the nod to either himself or Donovan Mitchell. Both are undersized, ultra-quick guards who rely on agility and instincts rather than raw power. Mitchell’s literal nickname is “Spida,” so the comparison writes itself.

Tyrese Maxey Nails the Hulk-Isaiah Stewart Comparison

The best pick that made Fallon burst into laughter was the Detroit Pistons center, Isaiah Stewart, as the Hulk. Maxey didn’t miss when explaining this one, referencing a November 2021 incident.

Stewart, after being bloodied by an accidental elbow from LeBron James, went full rage mode and chased the Lakers star around Little Caesars Arena like a man possessed. Stewart had to be restrained multiple times by teammates, coaches and security as blood streamed down his face. He eventually got ejected and suspended for two games for the outburst.

Maxey was absolutely on point when he argued, “Any man that is going to chase LeBron I think that he should be the Hulk. There’s no stopping him when he gets angry. I don’t think anybody’s getting in front of him when he’s angry.” That’s Hulk energy.

Before the finger injury derailed his season, Maxey was having a career year, averaging 29 points and 6.7 assists while logging an NBA-high 38.3 minutes per game. He’s set to be reevaluated this week, and if all goes well, he could return for the final few games of the regular season. Philadelphia has ten more games left.

Related: Lakers’ LeBron James Addresses His Opinion on Getting Foul Calls

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.