When the Philadelphia 76ers traded Ben Simmons for James Harden and then ended up losing Harden without getting a star in return, many thought the team would be finished. Out of that opportunity came the rise of their newest All-Star guard, Tyrese Maxey.

Maxey's game and story have earned him the praise of many around the NBA, including the legendary LeBron James. After the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night, James revealed some of his personal feelings toward Maxey.

LeBron James' Strong Praise for Tyrese Maxey

While LeBron is like a mentor to many in the NBA, he has a very special bond with 76ers star Tyrese Maxey. When it comes to Maxey's recent success, James had nothing but kind things to say.

"I would guarantee his pace is a lot faster than my pace these days," James said. "But I love the success and the humbleness that Tyrese does it at, and that starts with his family. He's just taking full advantage of the opportunity. Making the most of it."

This season, Maxey is averaging an amazing 31.5 points, 7.2 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 steals on 47/39/88 shooting from the field. With the way Maxey is playing, one could argue that he's a top-three guard in the NBA.

LeBron James Reveals Personal Bond With Maxey

After praising Maxey, James revealed that he's also spent numerous offseasons practicing with the 76ers stars. However, this offseason was cut short due to James' sciatica issue.

"Every summer we get together and train, get ready for the season," James said. "Obviously, it wasn't extended this summer than previous summers because of the injury I was dealing with. We did get an opportunity to get on the floor a few times."

When looking at young guards that LeBron could potentially form a really good duo with, Maxey could be at the top of that list. Both LeBron and Maxey could play a role similar to how LeBron had with Kyrie Irving.

What's Next for LA

After the heroic win against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Los Angeles Lakers now have an overall record of 17-6, good for the second seed in the Western Conference. There was some concern that the team would slip when shorthanded against the Toronto Raptors, but the Lakers have still been very successful on their road trip.

The Los Angeles Lakers have won two out of their last three games and will be facing the San Antonio Spurs next on Wednesday night.