The partnership became official on Wednesday, but the third-year guard has rocked the shoe brand all season.
“This is Tyrese Maxey. He’s one of the league’s rising stars, and he wears New Balance.”
That’s what it reads when you go to the basketball section of New Balance’s website, which also includes a picture of the Philadelphia 76ers speedster that occupies the width of the page.
If that wasn’t clear enough, let’s make it crystal: Tyrese Maxey has officially signed a multi-year deal with New Balance as the first official footwear sponsorship of his career.
“As one of the most talented young players in the league, we’re excited to welcome Tyrese to the New Balance family,” said Naveen Lokesh, Head of Global Sports Marketing Basketball at New Balance. “He embodies the charisma and personality of the New Balance Brand. We are excited to start working with Tyrese to further highlight his style in the game and his desire to inspire the next generation, both on and off the court.”
New Balance spent the last half-decade re-establishing itself in the basketball market, spearheaded by the signing of Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard in 2018. In addition to Kawhi, Maxey will join a talented and growing New Balance roster that includes:
- Jamal Murray
- Darius Bazley
- Dejounte Murray
- Zach LaVine
- Aaron Nesmith
Until this season, the product of the Nike-sponsored University of Kentucky almost exclusively rocked The Swoosh on and off the court. He was seen rocking the GT Cut as recently as 76ers’ Media Day in September; per KixStats, the GT Cut has been Maxey’s favorite shoe choice since entering the league in 2020, having played in the silhouette in 65 games. (The Kobe V was a close second with 62 games).
But come opening night this year, Maxey stepped onto the court wearing NB. He’s donned the Two WXY 3 in all 21 games he’s played this season, including when he dropped a career-high 44 points against the Toronto Raptors in October.
“It’s a light shoe, and I’m a guard that changes directions and has to perform on both ends of the court,” Maxey told Sports Illustrated. “I feel very comfortable in the shoe, and I like the shoe. I like the design of the shoe, and it’s been great.”
Off the court, while Dunks were a go-to for Maxey earlier in his career, the third-year guard has been seen rolling up to game days this year wearing 990v2s, 550s, and 650s.
Another interesting note regarding the Maxey-NB partnership, as pointed out by Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice: Desron Dorset, who is currently New Balance’s head of basketball marking, previously worked for the 76ers as vice president of business development. His time crossed over briefly with Maxey before he left in 2021.
Although he’s missed time with a foot fracture, Maxey is averaging 21.2 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game. The Sixers (25-15) currently sit 3.5 games behind the first-place Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia 76ers Shoe Lineup
Tyrese Maxey — New Balance
James Harden — Adidas
Tobias Harris — Typically Nike
PJ Tucker — Everything under the sun
Joel Embiid — Under Armour
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