NBA stars are often subjected to vile comments from fans during games. Their heckling usually falls on deaf ears but once in a blue moon, a fan crosses the line with their comments, as former Rockets guard Vernon Maxwell learned firsthand, leaving them with no choice but to confront them, which he did.
Advertisement
During an appearance on the Club 520 Podcast, the two-time NBA champion spoke about the time he got into a physical altercation with a fan for their sinister comments about his daughter who passed away in the womb. Maxwell recalled,
“They was talking about my stillborn daughter. White boy behind me saying f**k that b***h, f**k that w***e and the security guy tell me he can’t do nothing, he pays money for that ticket. I tell him, ‘F**k you white boy,’ got fed up and slapped the s**t outta him.”
The altercation happened during a game between the Rockets and Trail Blazers in 1995. Maxwell was on the bench when a Portland fan continuously tried to get under his skin with comments about his daughter. He succeeded but paid a hefty price as the guard walked up to him and hit him square in the face.
February 6th, 1995 – Vernon Maxwell goes into the crowd and punches a fan. #TheXMan pic.twitter.com/AiHmrjWlhG
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) May 22, 2020
Thankfully, Robert Horry followed Maxwell to the site of the altercation and stepped in between the fan and his teammate to prevent the situation from escalating beyond control. He was suspended for 10 games and fined $20,000. The punishment did not tame the guard as he got into another skirmish a few years later.
Vernon Maxwell and Gary Payton’s Intense Fight
During the 1999-00 season, the then-Supersonics guard got into a physical altercation with teammate Gary Payton. In a scrimmage game, the Hall of Famer was bullying Shammgod Williams before punching him and leaving him bloodied.
The guard’s actions did not sit well with Maxwell, who charged at his teammate. Recalling what transpired during an appearance on Gilbert Arenas’ ‘Gil’s Arena’ podcast, He said,
“That pissed me off so bad. I was mad as hell. I really wanted to hurt that boy because, first of all, Shammond was a young black man coming into the league. God damn, man, show the man some respect, help him out.”
Maxwell punched Payton, grabbed a 5-pound dumbbell, and tried swinging it at Payton. However, he missed his target and hit Horace Grant in the shoulder instead, sidelining the center for two weeks. The two-time NBA champion usually exercised patience but didn’t care about the consequences once he lost his cool.
