Vernon_Maxwell

Vernon Maxwell

Vernon Maxwell

American basketball player (born 1965)

This article is about the American basketball player. For the American football player, see Vernon Maxwell (American football).

Vernon Maxwell (born September 12, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who was a shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for thirteen seasons during the late 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. Maxwell played college basketball for the University of Florida, and led the Florida Gators to their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. He was selected by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 1988 NBA draft and was immediately traded to the San Antonio Spurs. His longest and most successful NBA tenure was with the Houston Rockets. The nickname "Mad Max" was bestowed upon Maxwell by color commentators for his clutch three-point shooting, which reached its pinnacle in the deciding game of the 1994 NBA Finals between Houston and New York. Maxwell is among just nine players in NBA history to amass 30 points in a single quarter, accomplishing that feat en route to a 51-point outing on January 26, 1991, against Cleveland.[1]

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Early years

Maxwell was born in Gainesville, Florida. He attended Buchholz High School in Gainesville, and played for the Buchholz Bobcats high school basketball team. As a senior, Maxwell was the Mr. Basketball of the state of Florida as well as being an all-state defensive back in football.

College career

Maxwell received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida, where he played for coach Norm Sloan's Florida Gators men's basketball from 1984 to 1988. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 20.2 points as a senior and still holds 15 Gators team records. He left school after four years as the Gators' all-time leading scorer (2,450) and the No. 2 scorer in Southeastern Conference history behind LSU's Pete Maravich. He averaged more than 20 points in both his junior and senior seasons, although Florida would erase all the points Maxwell scored in those seasons due to Maxwell taking money from agents and accepting a free round-trip ticket to go to a basketball camp.[2]

Professional career

On June 28, 1988, Maxwell was drafted into the NBA by the Denver Nuggets, who traded him the same day to the San Antonio Spurs for a second-round pick the next year. Two years later, his contract was sold to the Houston Rockets for $50,000,[3] where he would become a key member of the franchise's first championship team in 1994. Known for his clutch shooting, Maxwell hit several game-winning shots throughout his career. Maxwell held the NBA's record for most 3-pointers made in a season from 1991 to 1993.[4] In January 1991, he became the fourth player to score 30 points in a quarter when he scored 30 of his career high 51 points in the fourth quarter of the Rockets 103-97 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.[5] Maxwell was not a part of the Rockets' 1995 championship roster, quitting the team after a loss to Utah in the 1995 playoffs. Clyde Drexler, who Houston had acquired in February 1995, had taken away most of Maxwell's minutes and his starting spot.[6] The decision to quit the team is something that Maxwell has been said to regret.[7] He was waived by the Rockets on June 1995.[8]

He signed with the Seattle SuperSonics prior to the 1999-2000 season. In March, he got into a fight with Sonics star Gary Payton and accidentally hit Horace Grant with a 5-pound weight, when he was trying to break up the fight, injuring Grant's shoulder and forcing him to miss the Sonics next game.[9] Shortly before the Sonics' first round series against the Utah Jazz, it was reported that he would miss the playoffs due to a knee injury, much to the delight of Utah's players.[10]

References

  1. [1]
    Goldaper, Sam (January 29, 1991). "PRO BASKETBALL: Notebook; Teams Ravaged By Key Injuries". The New York Times. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  2. [2]
    1990 Florida infractions report
  3. [3]
    John Harris (April 30, 1990). "Maxwell gets new life with Rockets". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  4. [4]
    "NBA Progressive Leaders and Records for 3-Pt Field Goals".
  5. [5]
    Dan Hafner (January 27, 1991). "Rockets' Maxwell Scores 30 in Fourth Quarter, 51 in Game". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  6. [6]
    "Disgruntled Maxwell Out for Year : Pro basketball: Slighted by backup role, Rocket guard put on indefinite leave of absence and won't return for playoffs". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. May 3, 1995. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  7. [7]
    Young, Matt (January 15, 2021). "Vernon Maxwell tells about time Hakeem slapped him at halftime". Chron.
  8. [8]
    "The Houston Rockets quietly waived controversial guard Vernon". AP News. July 12, 1995. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  9. [9]
    Frank Hughes (March 29, 2000). "Boom or bust?". The News Tribune. p. C1. Retrieved May 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  10. [10]
    Tim Korte (April 22, 2000). "Sonics' Maxwell sidelined; Jazz breathe sigh of relief". The Salina Journal. p. B4. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
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