Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey Trades Court for Canine Course at 2025 National Dog Show
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Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey swapped sneakers for chew toys on Nov. 16, guiding two border collies through the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge Agility Show during a National Dog Show taping at the Kennel Club of Philadelphia.
Working before roughly 15,000 spectators, the 2024 NBA All-Star ran the eight-obstacle course with Howie, an 8-year-old border collie, and Spike, a 2-year-old border collie-papillon. The segment airs Thanksgiving Day on NBC.
Maxey, dressed in gray sweats, a beanie and glasses, joked on the broadcast that he was “sweating like I just played a whole quarter.” Armed with a dog toy, he urged his partners through tunnels, weave poles, hurdles and a tire with commands of “jump,” “tunnel” and “weave, weave, weave.”
The agility pros usually navigate the layout in 18 to 21 seconds. Maxey’s debut with Howie took 41 seconds after the dog stopped to tug at the toy. His second attempt looked smoother, clocking 30 seconds with Spike.
Show officials contacted the 76ers early in the season seeking a volunteer, NBC Sports producer Alexa Maremaa said. Maxey, who owns three dogs and had practiced agility in a 2024 State Farm commercial alongside trainers Perry DeWitt and Jessica Ajoux, quickly agreed. DeWitt also worked this year’s event, linking Maxey’s past training to the show.
Maremaa recalled the guard’s excitement while scouting the venue, especially when he spotted cane corsos and bullmastiffs—breeds he keeps at home. Because the televised course is carpeted and dotted with tunnels, producers worried about injury and walked Maxey through a dry run before filming.
Handlers selected one high-energy small dog and one low-maintenance larger dog to pair with him. After Maxey tested the layout, cameras rolled, giving him two official runs to post a time.
No return appearance is scheduled, but Maremaa said Maxey’s obvious affection for animals “left the door open” for future dog show collaborations.
Source: ESPN
