Tyrese Maxey has known new Sixers guard Quentin Grimes since high school: ‘He’s really going to fit in well’
Both Maxey and Grimes played at Texas high schools. Both garnered Texas Mr. Basketball honors as seniors, with Grimes starring at The Woodlands College Park High School, Maxey at South Garland High.
In Quentin Grimes, the 76ers acquired a shooting guard with elite catch-and-shoot ability.
He’s also a solid defender who’s versatile enough to guard multiple positions. And Tyrese Maxey can vouch for him. They’ve known him for a long time.
“He played in Houston, and I was in Dallas,” Maxey said of the 24-year-old, “and we almost played them in the playoffs one year. But they had lost, and we won.
“But I played with him on U-18s, a great dude.”
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The Texans are NBA teammates after the Sixers acquired Grimes and a 2025 second-round pick in exchange for Caleb Martin. The pick originally belonged to the Sixers and had been acquired by Dallas.
Grimes, who was a grade ahead of Maxey, was a 2018 McDonald’s All American from The Woodlands College Park High School. Maxey was a 2019 McDonald’s All American from South Garland High School. Both were named Texas Mr. Basketball as seniors.
But while Maxey has blossomed into an NBA All-Star and a face of the Sixers, Grimes is now on his fourth team in as many seasons.
“I feel like he’s really changed his game to the NBA,” Maxey said of Grimes finding a niche as a role player. “I think he scored a lot when we were in high school and college. He gets to the NBA and realizes his game is going to be someone who’s going to score and shoot the ball well but also defend the opposing team’s guards and best player.
“He’s done a really good job of that. So I think he’s really going to fit in well.”
After being drafted 25th by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2021 NBA draft, Grimes was traded the next day to the New York Knicks. He spent 2½ seasons in New York before being traded to the Detroit Pistons on Feb. 8, 2024 (along with Ryan Arcidiacono, Malachi Flynn, and Evan Fournier). The Pistons then traded him to the Mavs on July 6.
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The 6-foot-5, 205-pounder, who averaged 10.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 47 games with 12 starts this season in Dallas, is shooting a career-best 39.8% on three-pointers this season. Grimes maintains career numbers of 8.9 points and 2.8 rebounds and is a 37.6% three-point shooter.
This season, the fourth-year veteran has made at least four three-pointers on five occasions, including a season-high six threes on Jan. 7 against the Los Angeles Lakers. He made a career-high seven threes twice as a Knick. The first time came against the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 12, 2021, during his rookie season. The other time came vs. the Mavs on Dec. 27, 2022, in his second season.
“I think Grimes is going be great for us,” Joel Embiid said. “What he provides with his shooting ability, defensively. I think we’re going miss a lot from Caleb. But we also gain a lot from Quentin Grimes.”