Top 15 Greatest Houston Rockets (11-15)

Oct 24, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; A general view of the Toyota Center during the third quarter of the game between the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

 13. Vernon Maxwell

Vernon Maxwell was a integral piece to the Rockets’ back-to-back championship years. Widely known for his volatile, yet often confrontational personality, it was his timely three-point shooting that earned him the nickname of “Mad Max.”

In six seasons with the Rockets, the swing man averaged 14.9 points per game to go along with 4.3 assists. Unfortunately, the relationship between he and the Rockets started to unravel when the organization acquired Clyde Drexler via trade back in February 1995, the future Hall-Of-Famer that was still chasing a ring from his days with the Portland Trailblazers.

This infuriated Maxwell which led up to an unflattering sequence of events that put a black eye on his career. In that same month, coincidentally against the Blazers on the road, Maxwell went up into the stands and punched a heckling fan, knocking out a few of his front teeth. Maxwell was suspended for 10 games and fined $20,000 by the NBA, the largest fine in league history at that time.  He also was sued by the fan but eventually the case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

As he drifted further and further away from the limelight, the Rockets decided they had enough of his antics, not giving him a new contract and waiving him that summer. He spent the rest of his career as a journeyman, bouncing from team-to-team not quite getting back to playing at the high level that he was known for here in Houston.

To this day, many believe Maxwell would have been important had the Rockets ran into the Chicago Bulls in the championship due to his stellar defense on Michael Jordan during the regular season. He matched up well with him and gave him fits whenever they played.

When it comes to the all-time greatest Rockets out there, there’s no way one can reflect without the thought of Maxwell.

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