Tatum Named East Player of Week Over Maxey

The NBA picked Jayson Tatum as Eastern Conference player of the week, while Victor Wembanyama took the Western Conference honor.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Basketball

Tatum Named East Player of Week Over Maxey

The NBA named Jayson Tatum Eastern Conference player of the week over Tyrese Maxey, who was one of five Eastern candidates. Victor Wembanyama was named Western Conference player of the week.

Why it matters

The selection leaves Maxey without the honor despite strong scoring and efficiency numbers over his recent games. The decision shows how the league weighs individual stat lines against other top performers in a crowded conference field.

Maxey shot 48.6% from the field and averaged 29.6 points, 4.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game through seven games this season. The NBA did not publish the weighting of statistics used to select the Eastern honoree.

The players

Tyrese Maxey

Tyrese Maxey is a guard for the Philadelphia 76ers who was among the league's top early-season scorers.

Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum is a forward for the Boston Celtics and a multiple All-Star who was named Eastern Conference player of the week.

Victor Wembanyama

Victor Wembanyama is a center for the San Antonio Spurs, widely regarded as one of the league's most promising young players, who was named Western Conference player of the week.

The details

Maxey was one of five Eastern Conference candidates, alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, Scottie Barnes and Evan Mobley. Tatum was selected as the Eastern winner, and the award was announced for the week ending November 2, 2026.

November 2, 2026: The NBA announced the player-of-the-week winners for the week.

Season Trajectory

The weekly player-of-the-week award is one of the league's regular recognition tools and helps shape early-season narratives among top scorers. Tatum's selection over Maxey affects the early MVP and All-Star conversation in the East.

Fantasy managers weighing Maxey's recent scoring and steals totals should note that the award does not change his production. Owners can use his season averages of 29.6 points and 1.7 steals per game as the baseline for lineup decisions.

The takeaway

Weekly awards can differ from raw production, so reading the full statistical line gives a clearer picture of a player's form than the honor alone. Track the season averages rather than a single week when judging early-season performance.