CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers made a move in free agency to bring in Trendon Watford as they look to build their roster back toward championship contention. When healthy, the Sixers have as good a chance as anybody to win in the East, but it’s important to build a strong roster around their star trio.
Enter Watford who is a terrific passer and playmaker for somebody his size at 6-foot-9 and will look to give Philadelphia versatility, depth, and playmaking which is paramount in today’s NBA.
On top of filling a new needs for the Sixers, it helps that Watford has a close friendship with Tyrese Maxey. Watford stated that Maxey gave him a call in free agency, which shows how close they are, but Watford went deep into the story of their friendship.
“Well, his birthday is the day before mine. Let’s just say that,” Watford smiled and laughed. “We were at a high school camp together in I think 9th grade. He claims that the group of guys I was with weren’t really talking to him because he wasn’t highly ranked yet or whatever. We locked in from that point on. My family knows his family. We ended up being roommates for I think the McDonald’s game.”
That 2019 McDonald’s All-American game was stacked with talent as Watford was on the East Team and Maxey was on the West. The two of them were able to build this friendship in high school and have been able to keep it going through college and in the NBA.
“We ended up just kicking it off, man,” Watford explained. “I know his sister, his uncle, his brother, everybody in the family. It’s definitely an experience that we talk about and it’s crazy that now we’re teammates. I was able to talk some trash to him when we got the win here (in Philly) last year…and (in Brooklyn). And now we’re teammates, so I’m excited.”
Even as Watford was preparing for the league during his time at LSU, the two kept in contact. Maxey was a rookie with the Sixers and he talked with Watford to help him understand what’s coming at the next level. Even he walked into the team’s facility in Camden, NJ for the first time on Thursday, Maxey gave him a call. The All-Star guard is excited to have one of his best friends with him now in Philadelphia to keep things moving in a positive direction.
“I remember talking to him my second year in college, which was his rookie year, and just talking to him about some of the stuff he was dealing with, I already had a good idea of what I was coming into,” Watford added. “Man, it’s great. We can’t believe it, honestly. We’re still in shock. He called me right before this and was like, ‘Man, I can’t believe you’re in Philly and going to go to the facility.’ It’s crazy. It’s crazy to be on the team right now.”
Now, the two friends who have stuck with each other for quite some time now will look to help the Sixers bounce back from a miserable 2024-25 season.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Complete story on friendship of Sixers’ Trendon Watford, Tyrese Maxey