Tyrese Maxey thought the Heat were going to take him in the 2020 NBA Draft

The Miami Heat beat the Philadelphia 76ers on their home court Thursday, closing the series in Game 6. The Heat won 4-2, covering all 3 games at home and losing the prior two in the City of Brotherly Love.

This entire postseason, one of the few bright spots for the Sixers was second-year guard Tyrese Maxey.

Maxey was a standout at Kentucky, but despite being projected as a lottery pick early in the collegiate season, Maxey fell due to scares about his efficiency and potential. He’s proven those doubters wrong.

During the regular season, Maxey increased his scoring from 8 points per game as a rookie to 17.5 per game. He shot 48.5% from the field and 43% from deep, both incredibly impressive numbers for a second-year guard.

Maxey’s clearly a budding star. Back in 2020, when his name had yet to be called, Maxey thought his long night was going to end with the Miami Heat at No. 20. It eventually ended when the 76ers called his number at 21.

“Miami, Orlando and San Antonio. Those were the three teams I thought would draft me. When I started slipping, I was upset, but I kept reminding myself that my dream of getting drafted was coming true,” Maxey told Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes.

If you thought the more than 100% increase in his scoring from his rookie season was impressive, what Maxey did during his first to the playoffs was even better. He notched more than 20 points per game.

Maxey neared 50% from the field and shot over 40% from deep during the team’s 12 playoff games. The Athletic’s Kyle Tucker dove a bit deeper into some numbers that show just how dominant the former Wildcat was.

The sky is the limit for Maxey, especially as former MVP James Harden may not be re-signed by the Sixers.