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Jamie Foxx Reacts to Vernon Maxwell’s Story About Getting Slapped by Hakeem Olajuwon

Sameen Nawathe
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Jamie Foxx (L), Vernon Maxwell (C), Hakeem Olajuwon (R)

Vernon Maxwell just might have snatched the crown as the NBA’s most entertaining storyteller. His appearance on All The Smoke has pulled in glowing reviews from fans, mostly centered around his ability to weave a tall tale.

It seems basketball fans aren’t the only ones who found the former Rockets guard hilarious. Jamie Foxx left a comment on a reel laughing at his delivery too.

The reel was a recollection of a time during Maxwell’s tenure with the Rockets, when Hakeem Olajuwon famously slapped the point guard over some words he found distasteful.

When Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson asked him if there was any truth to the story, Maxwell simply said, “Lot of truth.” His deadpan delivery made his hosts burst into laughter and question him more for the full story. Maxwell gladly obliged.

“Oh my goodness. Man hit me so godda** hard,” he started. “We was in Seattle. I was having a bad first half, and I’m mad.”

He went on to explain that in his fits of rage, he was prone to spitting and yelling profanities at people. He added that Sam Cassell, who was sitting next to him in the locker room, tried to placate him by telling him, “It’ll be okay.”

 

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That only seemed to anger Maxwell more, as he lashed out saying, “Man f*ck this sh*t! These n****s ain’t passing me the ball, f*ck this sh*t!”

That’s when Olajuwon stepped in. As a veteran on the team and the face of the franchise, he wanted to calm things down. According to Maxwell, “The Dream” called his tantrum unprofessional and told him to stop.

“I was like Dream man f*ck that sh*t! I’m tired of you too,” Maxwell snapped back. Of course, looking back at it, he recognized his mistake.

“He put his big ole hands on me. Ah man, he slapped the sh*t out of me when I sat down,” he recalled painfully. Hakeem was a very physically strong player, so that slap stung. In fact, he even said he felt like he’d been punched and not slapped.

When Barnes asked him what he did next, Maxwell sheepishly said, “Well!” It doesn’t seem like a response, but his tone and facial expression gave the viewers their answer: Maxwell started something that is now referred to as a “locker room bust up.”

It was this “Well” that elicited Foxx’s reaction.

Despite being a Mavs fan, Jamie, a native Texan, most likely watched the Rockets growing up. To see Vernon Maxwell speak about one of the greatest players of his era was sure to have brought back a bunch of memories for him.

About the author

Sameen Nawathe

Sameen Nawathe

Sameen Nawathe is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Drawing from his extensive background in editing his university publications, Sameen brings a distinguished level of professionalism and editorial acumen to his position. With over a decade of practical sporting knowledge, he adeptly curates a spectrum of content, ranging from foundational sports highlights to insightful analysis of potential NBA trades. Sameen's passion for basketball ignited with LeBron James, whom he credits for sparking his love for the game. He fondly reminisces about James' 2018 season, which he often describes as "the best display of pure hoops we've ever seen". When he's not immersed in the world of writing or playing basketball, Sameen can be found enjoying Taylor Swift's music or passionately supporting Manchester United during soccer matches. Join him as he delves into the dynamic and captivating realm of the NBA.

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