"These braids growing on me dawg" — Tyrese Maxey braves the chop as he ditches his trademark hairdo to debut sleek new look

Philadelphia 76ers superstar Tyrese Maxey has sported an iconic hairstyle in his four NBA seasons thus far. Featuring long hair with braids, the hairstyle has become synonymous with the 23-year-old, who had a bit of a breakout season in the campaign that recently ended.

Maxey earned his first All-Star appearance and came away with the Most Improved Player Award in 2024, and he will be looking to continue his upward trajectory. However, fans who have grown used to seeing him ball out with the long braids might be disappointed to learn about his recent haircut.

The 76ers star showed off the chop via an Instagram story, in which he attempted to showcase every angle. The clip itself was set to the tune of Gunna’s "life’s changing," specifically to the following lyrics:

“They can't feel the way we feel 'cause these my real brothers, woah

I ain't sorry (I ain't sorry), gon' get more dough (more dough)

All these critics tryna pick my brain like cornrows (cornrows)”

(Credit: Instagram/@tyresemaxey)

Maxey said he was growing fonder of the new braids hairstyle, writing the following:

“These braids growing on me dawg.”

Tyrese Maxey looks set to emerge as the 76ers’ second superstar alongside Joel Embiid

Maxey produced some memorable performances in the 2023-24 NBA season and narrowly missed out on an All-NBA berth. He finished 18th in the voting among the 15 spots on offer, which has had considerable influence on his immediate future. He is now eligible for a smaller contract.

Had Maxey earned his first All-NBA appearance, the player would have been eligible for a contract worth 30% of the overall salary cap for the 76ers' 2024-25 season. That translates to a max deal that could have been worth as much as $245.3 million over five years, which translates to a mean salary of $42.3 million.

Instead, the guard is eligible for a contract of 25% of the team’s salary cap. That translates to $35.3 million per season over a five-year deal, which could be worth $204.5 million. Set to become a restricted free agent in the offseason, Maxey may have lost out on millions by missing out on the All-NBA team.

However, the player averaged a career-best 25.9 points and 6.2 assists per game and transformed into a volume scorer for his team. He'll be aiming to keep up that momentum next season.