WATCH: When Kentucky star Tyrese Maxey's court dominance became iconic due to his basketball prowess

Tyrese Maxey, a former Kentucky Wildcats guard, made a significant impact during his freshman season in 2019-20. Despite playing for just one season, Maxey's dominance on the court became iconic due to his basketball prowess. He was chosen for the SEC All-Freshman Team and second-team All-SEC.

Unfortunately, the season ended disappointingly, as the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.

Reminiscing about the Philadelphia 76ers guard's skills at Kentucky, “College Basketball Report” shared a 60-second clip, expressing regret over not seeing Maxey and his team in the tournament.

“Up late thinking about Tyrese Maxey at Kentucky. I’m still sick to my stomach we didn’t get to see this team in March Madness…”

In an old interview with fellow NBA player RJ Hampton, Maxey explained that he didn't need much convincing to go to Kentucky:

“I didn’t need much convincing to go to Kentucky, to be honest. I was one that ever since John Wall, De’Aaron Fox, and all those guys went through there, I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to be a part of that legacy.”

The son of a longtime Dallas high school coach Tyrone Maxey, Tyrese quickly adapted to a starring role as a freshman for coach John Calipari’s Kentucky program. Calipari was quick to note that Maxey had been well-trained in his dribble-drive offense, thanks to his father's work in the system.

Following a standout college career, Maxey was selected by the 76ers as the 21st pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft. In April this year, he was honored as the NBA's Most Improved Player for 2023-24, beating out Coby White and Alperen Şengün for the award.

On the flip side, in the unfortunate game against Oakland in March Madness, Maxey’s former team Kentucky — seeded as the No. 3 team in the South Region — faced a heartbreaking 80-76 defeat against Oakland in the round of 64 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

This season Tyrese Maxey shines on the court

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey during Game 6 of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the New York Knicks.

In the 2023-24 NBA season, Tyrese Maxey averaged 25.9 points per game (ranking 11th in the league), 3.7 rebounds per game (ranking 138th) and 6.2 assists per game (ranking 20th). He shot 45.0% from the field, which ranked him 102nd in the league.

He was also honored with the 2023-24 NBA Sportsmanship Award. Maxey received 91 first-place votes and 2,545 points, recognizing him as the player who best exemplifies sportsmanship values on the court.