Tyrese Maxey claimed a place on Time magazine’s latest TIME100 Next list of emerging leaders in sports, politics, technology and entertainment.

The Sixers guard, 25, joined a couple New Jersey natives on the list. Democratic U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, 44, and actor Dominic Sessa, the 23-year-old from Cherry Hill who played Anthony Bourdain in “Tony,” were also included in the annual index of the “world’s most influential rising stars.” 

Maxey’s new teammate LeBron James called him “a special kid” and “a joy to be around” in a tribute to the two-time All-Star.

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“Tyrese Maxey gets better every season, and he’s really just getting started,” James wrote for Time. “Even more important than his getting better just as a player, I’ve seen him grow so much as a leader for our team on and off the floor. He’s been doing the work, and it shows.”

James was a fitting choice for the tribute. He and Maxey are longtime friends who have trained together for the past five summers. They both played in the 2024 and 2026 NBA All-Star Games and are repped by Klutch Sports, founded by James’ agent Rich Paul. 

James even credits Maxey with swaying him to sign with the Sixers. In his text for Time, the four-time NBA champion said “our relationship off the floor definitely influenced my decision to come to Philadelphia.”

TIME100 Next previously honored Jalen Hurts in 2023, when the quarterback was fresh off leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl. Peyton Manning wrote the excerpt, calling Hurts “a natural leader who cares about his job and the organization that he plays for.”

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