Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey surprised audiences with his incredible switch from the basketball court to the dog agility course. He displayed his beautiful work at the 2025 National Dog Show on NBC. On Thanksgiving Day, he put his new dog training skills to the test for a special live segment that caught NBC by surprise and went to air. The annual event took place at the Kennel Club of Philadelphia. Maxey brought two dogs—Howie, an 8-year-old border collie, and Spike, an energetic 2-year-old border collie-papillon mix.
Maxey himself is new to the dog training scene. He interned under, and learned the ropes from, world-class agility trainers Perry DeWitt and Jessica Ajoux. Because they were connected, their guidance allowed him to zip through the agility course with confidence. The show’s taping on November 16 in front of an exuberant crowd of about 15,000 fans was the culmination of years’ worth of work.
Maxey’s initial stretch with Howie was just 41 seconds long. In those few seconds, they shared a mere moment of fun mini tug-of-war bliss! His second run with Spike was much better, though, completing the course in only 30 seconds. Maxey’s grace with a fast switch and warm welcomes between the oodles of dogs made this efficient time seem worth.
Agility experts on hand at the event helped advise to choose the dogs that would fit Maxey’s fast-paced, athletic style. They wanted to make sure that he had the best possible odds for success on the dog agility course.
“We wanted to give him two shots with two different dogs just to see if it would be an improvement or a difference, and the second dog was faster,” – Meramaa.
Maxey participated in the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge Agility Show. This special event took place within the context of the broader National Dog Show, televised nationally on Thanksgiving. He complemented his ease and grace with a killer all gray ensemble. A beanie and shades finished off his look, amplifying his kick-back attitude throughout the set.
Maxey reflected on how excited he was to be a part of these canine challenges.
“It was really fun. They got me out here sweating. Like I just played a whole quarter. I think I’m going to stick to staying on the court,” – Tyrese Maxey.
Developing the land/sea agility training took some meticulous animal planning and timing, especially given the wild card of animal unpredictability.
“There’s only so much you can control with these dogs. … So, I think doing that dry run with the pros and just making sure he knew, ‘OK tunnel here, weave here,’ set him up for success,” – Meramaa.
Maxey’s journey into dog training highlights his passion for animals and showcases his ability to perform under pressure, similar to his basketball career. His relationship with Howie and Spike was very touching and what attracted me to his character, as shown by Meramaa’s analysis.
“His face lit up just like when they were walking towards each other like these big old dogs and you know, they’re slobbering,” – Meramaa.
Maxey’s performance demonstrated not only his adaptability but his willingness to embrace new challenges outside of basketball.
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