Tyrese Maxey planning to attend Kentucky-Penn game on Saturday

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey is playing like an All-Star in his fourth NBA season. But the former Kentucky Wildcat hasn’t forgotten about the school that helped get him to this point.

When No. 16 Kentucky (6-2) heads up to Philly on Saturday for a matchup against the Penn Quakers (5-4), Maxey intends to be in the building to watch his old team in action. On Tuesday, Kentucky men’s basketball posted a video on social media with Maxey saying he’ll be at the Wells Fargo Center, where he plays his home games for the 76ers, to cheer on the Wildcats this weekend.

“Big Blue Nation, come out and show love, I should be there as well,” Maxey said. “Go ‘Cats.”

Tipoff is set for noon EST on Saturday, Dec. 9, and will be broadcast on ESPN.

#BBN, see you in Philadelphia for our game vs. @PennMBB in @TyreseMaxey's 🏡 @WellsFargoCtr on Saturday.

Tickets available: https://t.co/0qiNepJRHi pic.twitter.com/iaXX52Xs8Y

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) December 5, 2023

According to head coach John Calipari, Kentucky plans to practice at the 76ers facility in the leadup to Saturday’s game. Maxey could be around for that as well.

“We’re going to practice in the 76ers facility,” Calipari said during his call-in radio show on Monday night. “Hopefully Tyrese will be around. I think he told me he will be and we’re going to do some events down there. It’ll be nice.“

Maxey was a one-and-done at Kentucky, spending the 2019-20 season in Lexington. He was tabbed to the All-SEC Second-Team and the SEC All-Freshman Team after putting up per-game averages of 14 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. Unfortunately, Kentucky fans never got to see what Maxey could have done in the postseason, which was canceled that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regardless, Maxey’s play during the regular season was enough to make him a first-round 2020 NBA Draft pick. The 76ers selected the 6-foot-2 point guard with the No. 21 overall pick and he’s quickly outperformed that spot in the years since. Following the departure of James Harden from Philadelphia earlier this season, Maxey was given the keys to the offense alongside reigning MVP Joel Embiid. He’s been playing the best basketball of his life ever since.

Through 18 games during 2023-24, Maxey is averaging 27.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game (all career-highs) while leading the NBA in minutes at 38.4 per game. He’s shooting 46.4 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 89.9 percent from the free throw line. At this rate, the 23-year-old is a near lock to make his first All-Star Game appearance later in the season.

We’ll see you in Philly, Tyrese.