Vernon Maxwell
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This article is about the American basketball player. For the American football player, see Vernon Leroy Maxwell.
| Position | Shooting Guard |
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| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Born | September 12, 1965 Gainesville, Florida |
| Nationality | USA |
| High school | Buchholz (Gainesville) |
| College | Florida |
| Draft | 2nd round, 47th overall, 1988 Denver Nuggets |
| Pro career | 1988–2001 |
| Former teams | San Antonio Spurs (1988-1990, 1996-1997) Houston Rockets (1990-1995) Philadelphia 76ers (1995-1996, 2000-2001) Orlando Magic (1997) Charlotte Hornets (1997-1998) Sacramento Kings (1998-1999) Seattle SuperSonics (1999-2000) Dallas Mavericks (2001) |
Vernon Maxwell (born September 12, 1965, in Gainesville, Florida) is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1988-2001, with his longest tenure being with the Houston Rockets. Aside from his basketball achievements, he was notorious for his erratic public behavior and run-ins with the law, and was arrested eight times in ten years. 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 a handful of players to amass 30 points in a single quarter, accomplishing that feat en route to a 51-point outing January 26, 1991, against Cleveland.
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[edit] College
As a high school senior, Maxwell was the state of Florida's Mr. Basketball, as well as being an All-State defensive back in football. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 20.2 points as a senior and still holds 15 Gators 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 Pete Maravich. He averaged more than 20 points in both his junior and senior seasons, although NCAA violations would erase all the points Maxwell scored in those seasons.
[edit] NBA
After Florida, Vernon Maxwell's career moved to the NBA. He was a key member of the Houston Rockets' first championship team. Known for his clutch shooting, Vernon Maxwell hit several game-winning shots throughout his career. His defense was tenacious, and he is remembered by many for having kept Michael Jordan significantly below his season scoring averages. Vernon acquired the reputation of being a feisty player. He earned a mention on the Late Show with David Letterman in 1994. Letterman asked his guest, Spike Lee, if there was a similar player on the Rockets who brandished Reggie Miller's manner, to which Spike replied, "Mad Max". During the 1995-1996 campaign with the 76ers, Maxwell contemplated trying out for the football Eagles, harkening back to his exemplary exploits on the high school gridiron. Maxwell's last significant contribution in the NBA was during the 1999 playoffs, playing a pivotal role with the underdog Kings in taking Utah to the series limit.
[edit] Behavioral incidents
- 1987: Due to NCAA violations, all the points he scored last two seasons in college were eliminated from the record books.
- 1994: He was charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon.
- 1994: He swung a free weight at the head of his teammate Carl Herrera, who required 30 stiches.
- 1995: In a game at Portland on February 6, he ran into the stands to punch a fan, later claiming the fan had heckled him over his wife's miscarriage. The NBA suspended him for 10 games (during which Clyde Drexler was traded for). The suspension was the 2nd longest in NBA history at the time.
- 1995: Feigning a hamstring injury, he was given a leave of absence after the 1st game of the playoffs. Maxwell later admitted he was frustrated with not playing. The incident was hyped as Maxwell being disgruntled at the team's recent acquisition of Hall-of-Fame guard Clyde Drexler. His actions led to the Rockets ending his tenure with them.
- 1996: Sentenced to 50 hours of community service for indecent exposure after a traffic accident, in which he pressed his penis against the window of the driver who rear ended his Lotus.
- 1997: Ordered to pay $592,000 for knowingly infecting a woman with herpes. The plaintiff was awarded a default judgment as Maxwell did not appear in court.
- 1999: In Florida, he was arrested for failing to pay $160,000 in child support. A warrant was issued for Maxwell's arrest in Florida in December 2004 when he failed to appear for another child support hearing.
- 2005: Maxwell was jailed in January 2005 in Washington state after his arrest as a fugitive on the 2004 outstanding arrest warrant from Florida.
- 2007: In North Carolina, Maxwell was arrested for drug possession charges. This violated his probation and Maxwell turned himself in in Alachua County, Florida and was jailed without bond.[1]
On May 28, 2008, a federal warrant for arrest for violations of the conditions of federal supervision was issued for Vernon Leon Maxwell by the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. United States Marshal Service authorities in the Western District of Washington forwarded information on Maxwell to the Hornets Nest Task Force in the Western District of North Carolina. Maxwell was located at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse and was immediately taken into federal custody by U.S. Marshals following an appearance in state court. Maxwell was originally sentenced to serve 5 years of federal probation for willful failure to pay child support.
[edit] External links
- ClutchFans.net Profile - Houston Rocket Fan Site
- Career stats
- NBA.com player profile
- Child support
- "'Mad Max' threw away talent and much more" - Column by Hubert Mizell of the St. Petersburg Times
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