Feb. 23, 2026, 10:11 a.m. ET

The game of basketball can bring people together in ways one cannot truly imagine. The game just has a tendency of building long-lasting friendships through hoops and that is a beautiful thing.

That’s what happened for Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey and Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards. Though Maxey hails from Texas and Edwards from Georgia, they were brought together through the game of basketball.

“That’s my dog, man,” Maxey told reporters following their win over the Wolves on Sunday. “I think the world knows that. So, it was cool, man. We bring the best out of each other, I think, man. He scored on me. He was talking trash and it probably woke me up a little bit.”

Maxey had a moment on Sunday when he drove the lane and threw down a one-handed slam on top of Edwards while staring him down–along with VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr.–while Edwards laughed it off and kept playing. That moment is just another encapsulation of the respect Maxey and Edwards have for each other.

In fact, the two go way back. All the way to grade 5.

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“It’s crazy,” Maxey added. “I think my best friend, Chris Harris, has—his mom has footage of us playing against Ant, I think, when we were in fifth grade. Yeah, short, chubby, strong, and now he’s that! He’s a guy that I really appreciate talking to. I appreciate his craft. I appreciate his story. We just kind of clicked, man.”

Maxey and Edwards would then go on to play in the McDonald’s All-American game before then entering the NBA in the same 2020 draft class. It’s a brotherhood that he keeps special to him.

“We kind of clicked McDonald’s All-American, me and him, actually, Trendon Watford—we were hanging out every single day at McDonald’s,” he finished. “Then, Jordan Brand after that, and then you go to whatever, all those little camps you do it in high school. Then we just kind of kept in touch. Same draft class. We knew we were gonna compete with each other for a long time. It’s all love.”

The Timberwolves will head to Philadelphia on April 3 for the rematch between the two stars.