The Oklahoma City Thunder were an up-and-coming team fighting for a playoff spot in the NBA bubble. They had already completed the massive trade that sent forward Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for a historic number of draft picks, but they owed one selection to the Philadelphia 76ers that year.
However, the pick was top-20 protected, meaning the pick only conveyed if it landed in the 21-30 range. The Thunder trailed by two points with less than 10 seconds to go in a game that Philadelphia needed them to win in order to get the pick. Former 76ers forward Mike Muscala nailed a clutch three-point shot to win the game and to send the pick to Philadelphia, which would eventually select All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey.
The pick didn’t seem all that important at the time, but the energetic, young guard quickly proved to be a building block for the team, and now is considered “The Franchise.” Former Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James
was always a supporter of Maxeywho is a fellow client of Klutch Sports, so it’s no surprise he played a huge role in the four-time NBA champion joining the City of Brotherly Love.
Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, who is also the agent for both Maxey and James, went viral for his white board that featured all the teams James was considering. The 76ers guard was the only player with a star next to his name, signifying his importance in the decision-making process, so it’s safe to say James doesn’t make the move to Philadelphia if Maxey isn’t there.
To be fair, NBA reporter Shams Charania reported that James wasn’t considering the 76ers until the Boston Celtics dealt All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown to the team. However, it was likely the combination of the trade, James’ relationship with Maxey and his relationship with former MVP center Joel Embiid that was fortified during the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Philadelphia was at one of its lowest points after being swept in the first round by Boston during the 2020 playoffs. Now, they have Maxey, James, Brown, and Embiid all on the same team with an exciting guard in VJ Edgecombe, and none of it would have been possible if Muscala didn’t hit that shot in the bubble that seemed so insignificant at the time.
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