Nicolas Batum has played with stars, veterans and contenders across a long NBA career, which is part of what makes his latest admission so striking. Speaking on The Old Man and the Three, Batum said his one real basketball regret is that his time alongside Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia did not come earlier, when he felt he had more years and more physical prime left to give.
Batum played for the 76ers during the 2023-24 season before returning to the Clippers, while Maxey has continued to grow into one of Philadelphia’s defining players.
“If I have one regret, I wish I could have played longer with him [With Tyrese] Maybe the only regret I would have in my career is like, he’s one of those guys like, I wish I could have played maybe longer with him. When I was younger – I was maybe too old now to play with him – but I wish I could be younger and play with him longer.
He’s my son’s favorite player, by far. Like, my son loves him. He’s got like his jersey, got three jerseys of him, like all over his room. He loves him. I’ve been to the visitors’ locker room like one time in two years – when we play him – and my son wanted to go see Tyrese Maxey and get his jersey post-game.”
Nicolas Batum says his “only regret” in his career is not playing longer with Tyrese Maxey.
“If I have one regret, I wish I could have played longer with him [With Tyrese] Maybe the only regret I would have in my career is like, he’s one of those guys like, I wish I could have… pic.twitter.com/CBr7fFuiFE
— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) March 29, 2026
Batum is not saying he regrets where he played or how his career unfolded. He is saying that Maxey is the kind of teammate who makes a veteran wish for more time, more legs and a longer overlap. That is an unusually strong compliment coming from a player who has shared locker rooms with elite talent across multiple eras.
It also fits the way Maxey has come to be viewed around the league. Since Batum’s season in Philadelphia, Maxey has only deepened his standing as a franchise pillar, not just because of scoring or speed, but because of the energy he brings to a team environment. Batum’s story about his son pushes that idea even further. It presents Maxey not only as a respected co-star, but as the kind of player who inspires affection across generations, inside and outside the locker room.
