The day before Tyrese Maxey’s signature shoe launched on Oct. 2, the NBA All-Star’s phone was lighting up with texts from people excited to order it on the New Balance app.
“It’s pretty surreal,” he said as the Maxey V1 was on the precipice of release. “It’s a blessing. All the thanks go to God first, but then of course, New Balance. I appreciate them for the partnership.”
The shoe arrived on the market just about three weeks shy of Tuesday night’s NBA season opener, in which Maxey’s team, the new-look Philadelphia 76ers, will take on the defending champions, the New York Knicks, at Madison Square Garden. It’s also a big month for Maxey considering he made a cameo as himself in the Season Six premiere of “Abbott Elementary,” appearing alongside his teammates Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe in the comedy series.
In creating the Maxey V1, his number-one goal had to do with branding and identity: “I wanted people to know that it was a New Balance shoe without even seeing the logo,” the athlete explained.
Maxey signed a deal with the Boston-based athletic brand in 2023; he appreciates the brand’s “family atmosphere,” referring to them as “long-lost cousins.” In 2025, they dropped the comic book-inspired “Hero Pack” together featuring the Hesi Low V2 basketball shoe and 1906R lifestyle shoe. It’s all led him here, as he becomes only the second New Balance athlete with a signature shoe.
Dropping in a light arctic gray and black colorway first, the sneaker is aesthetically defined by an abstract undulating design. The colorways, he believes, will only get better going forward. Performance-wise, it features a dual rail plate system and FuelCell cushioning.
When it came to the design, Maxey was inspired by New Balance’s existing styles. “I wanted it to embody certain shoes and certain silhouettes of New Balance, the numbers that they have right now, and I added my own little twist to it. I wanted it to be cool. I wanted it to look nice. I wanted you to be able to wear it on the court and off the court.”
The top lacing is borrowed from the 2002 model and the sculpted outriggers recall the 9060, while the blue flying NB badge references a detail on other New Balance models.
On what he’s learned about the shoe development process, Maxey said, “It takes time. It’s very tedious. You have to get the right details in each situation and each silhouette of the shoe. It’s a lot of wear tests and things like that, but it’s a very, very cool experience, and I’m just grateful and thankful for it.”
While his new signature shoe has generated buzz, Maxey’s fashion prowess goes beyond footwear. Remember when he attended the Alexandre Mattiussi and Kenzo shows during men’s Paris Fashion Week last year?
Maxey keeps three words on deck to sum up his fashion sense. “People ask me, ‘How do I describe my style?’ I say, calm, clean and comfortable.” The Maxey V1 aligns with this, he believes.
While many professional athletes will opt for flashy outfits, Maxey likes to take a quieter approach to fashion. He doesn’t exclusively wear designer, but instead enjoys mixing different types of pieces into his wardrobe. In addition to New Balance, he dabbles in streetwear brands and right now is really into oversize pants that go over his shoes. He also gets crafty in personalizing his pieces, like cutting off his joggers at the bottom. When it comes to accessories, he has a thing for Chrome Hearts glasses. And he’s open-minded to fashion brand partnerships, by the way.
“I do interesting things. I like to look clean, but I also like to be comfortable. I don’t like loud, loud outfits. I like people to see the outfit — ‘Oh, wow, that’s nice’ — but it just kind of blends in as well.” He considers himself a fashion risk taker at “certain times.”
Having grown up in Dallas, Maxey had to evolve his fashion to align with the colder East Coast weather, getting into layers and scarves and developing a penchant for beanies.
Outside of his professional accomplishments, 2026 is also the year that Maxey became a father, having welcomed a daughter with former women’s college basketball player Myra Gordon in May.
“It changes your perspective on a lot of different things,” he said of fatherhood. “But I’m just blessed, thankful, and happy to be able to try to lead someone.”
On whether being a dad has changed his style at all, he noted his identity as a “girl dad,” saying, “Sometimes I try to throw on something that kind of symbolizes that, but not always. We’ll see, though, it’s my first season being a dad, so we’ll see.”
Speaking of the new season, this year brings Maxey together with his friend LeBron James. The 41-year-old and 25-year-old NBA stars have a history of training together, and James cited Maxey as one of the main factors motivating him to come to Philly.
“That’s just much love, man,” Maxey said of James’ comment. “I appreciate him. He’s a great guy. You know our relationship has grown over the years. Years pass, and it’s fun to see him every day at practice and just see the ins and outs of what he does and how he stays able to play at a high level, even with his age.”
Maxey said that playing on the same team as the NBA veteran will only grow their relationship. “It’s going to be funny because when I see him this summer working out again, I’m just going to be like listen, ‘I’m tired of seeing you. That’s it. We’re going to need a break from each other.’ But nah, he’s great though. He’s amazing, and he keeps it fun and keeps it light. But he’s serious. When he gets down to business, he’s ready to perform.”
On that note, the 76ers squad featuring several new players is working on building its chemistry. “We’re trying. It’s definitely going to be a process, but it’s been great so far,” Maxey said. “We’re just trying to get better every single day, 1 percent better every day, and it’s been good for us so far. A lot of new faces, a lot of fun faces, a lot of interesting situations, but it’s going to be great, and we can’t wait to get started.”
Keep an eye out on Maxey’s fashion this NBA season — he already has some secrets up his sleeve.
“I’m definitely going to come with some new stuff this season. I can’t wait. I’m going to keep it as a surprise. I think people will like it. It’ll be fun.”