Back In The Day NBA

Kenny Smith Reveals The Most Feared NBA Player During 1990s

Shandel Richardson

Nov 19, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Former Houston Rockets Vernon Maxwell waves to the fans before the start of the fourth quarter of the game between the Rockets vs Utah Jazz at Toyota Center. Rockets won 111-102. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-Imagn Images
Nov 19, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Former Houston Rockets Vernon Maxwell waves to the fans before the start of the fourth quarter of the game between the Rockets vs Utah Jazz at Toyota Center. Rockets won 111-102. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas B. Shea-Imagn Images
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When he played in the NBA, Houston Rockets guard Vernon Maxwell was known as "Mad Max."

His former teammate, Kenny Smith, said Maxwell lived up to the nickname.

"They didn't mess with Vernon," Smith said during a podcast appearance. "He's the craziest guys in terms of his personality was so different off the court sometimes when it was on the court. When Vernon says I'm going to hit you, he would hit you on the next play. Vernon says I'm going to trip you in the air, he would trip you in the air."

Smith said Maxwell was one of the few players who would challenge Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan. It was then he realized Maxwell was different.

"He was the only guy when we played Chicago ... we had some success because he tried to fight Michael Jordan every time," Smith said. "As tough-minded as he is, it really didn't get under him until after every fight he would bring his son in afterward to get his autograph. So Michael said, `Something is wrong with this guy, Kenny. He fights me every day and then brings his son in wearing all Air Jordan apparel."

Kenny Smith tells a Vernon Maxwell story of how crazy Vernon Maxwell was as a teammate with the Houston Rockets! 😂😂 #VernonMaxwell #story #shorts #NBA #madmax #Rockets #houstonrockets

Posted by Justin Paden on Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Maxwell was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs but made his mark with the Rockets. He won two championship.


"He delivered on his messages," Smith said. "That why he was the most feared guy."

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com