Sixers Rookie Breaks Silence on Tyrese Maxey After Sideline Audio Leak

For a second there, the Sixers’ future backcourt looked in trouble. It appeared the Philadelphia 76ers hit a breaking point on Friday night during a narrow 117-115 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Leaked audio and viral footage caught a heated exchange between star guard Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe. What everyone thought was a brewing locker room beef was dismantled in less than 48 hours thanks to a win, the All-Star game and another ‘heated’ argument.

The tension spawned during the December 16 game. The Sixers’ defensive lapse left Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell wide open for a critical three-pointer, his first bucket of the game. Maxey and Edgecombe were immediately caught on camera faulting each other for Spida’s easy shot.

Funnily, it was another sideline exchange that buried the start of a feud. The 76ers bounced back by beating the Pacers 113-104 tonight with Joel Embiid contributing 30 points and newly-minted All-Star Maxey adding another 29.

He was in the middle of a sideline interview that was ‘rudely’ interrupted by VJ. All the 20-year-old wanted to say was, “For the record, man, we do not hate each other.” He had his arm around Tyrese’s shoulder and everything, looking like the picture-perfect BFF duo out of a Pixar movie.

What does Maxey do? Shred that image to bits, points at the tunnel and tells his rookie, “I hate you, don’t talk to me ever again, and go in the locker room.” Kidding. That’s just Tyrese Maxey’s signature humor. And they really showed they made up with a dab at the end of that interruption.

It was not performative BFF-ery either. There was just no beef to bury.

All-Star patches up VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey’s friendship

This display was great to see because Sixers Nation feared the worst. The team has barely recovered from the injury curse and it was Maxey and Edgecombe who carried them to a 23-18 record thus far. That fight on the sidelines made everyone think the team chemistry had shattered.

In leaked audio, Maxey apparently lashed out at the third draft pick after Mitchell’s shot. “Where are you going, where?” he was heard saying. VJ replied just as harshly, “You gotta go! You’re telling me I need to drop back?”

From the looks of it, Maxey and VJ were on Craig Porter. The veteran guard wanted the rookie to switch from guarding Mitchell to switch up the defense. VJ initially wanted Maxey to be the one to switch up. But he eventually admitted he didn’t communicate that properly. Head coach Nick Nurse dismissed the idea of a feud after the game.

Shortly after Friday’s loss, Tyrese Maxey was announced an All-Star starter for the first time in his career, in a breakout 2025-26 season where he’s averaging career-high points over 30 PPG. Edgecombe recorded his TV the moment the announcement was made and was screaming, “Yeah, Rese!” over and over.

His post buried the narrative of the rift quickly. By Monday, their banter effectively closed all speculation. Now the Sixers can go back to their winning ways.

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