In some weird, twisted way, hatred can be a beautiful thing. It requires such extreme feeling, such extreme emotion that it’s the peak of expression. Think of this past summer for example. Kendrick Lamar defined an entire year with his pure, unadulterated hatred of Drake. That is impressive in and of itself, and it resulted in some incredible art. There is only one beef in the NBA that has reached the extremes of that one. No, it’s not Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas or even LeBron James and Lance Stephenson. It is Vernon Maxwell and his amazing and unending distaste for the state of Utah and the Jazz fans who inhabit it.
The former Houston Rockets starter preached optimism after the team’s extremely lopsided loss to the Golden State Warriors. Most fans are taking the seventh seeded Warriors, captained by Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, over the young Rockets. If those fans are correct, it would be only the seventh time in NBA history that a two seed has lost in the first round.
That would certainly be a blow to the team after an exciting return to the top of the West. Maxwell had to remind people that it could always be worse.
“I know Rockets fans are still trying to get over the Game 1 loss, but rest assured, things could be worse,” insisted Maxwell. “Imagine being a Jazz fan sitting at home rn with no internet, teeth, or electricity.”
Fan responses to this tweet were mixed, as they always will be. Some Rockets fans called Maxwell a “national treasure” or “a LEGEND,” while certain Utah Jazz fans went to the typical ad hominem attacks, saying he had “no family, no money, no pets…”
One thing is for certain, Vernon Maxwell does not like Utah.
Mad Max: On the road
Vernon Maxwell’s hatred for Utah comes from an understandable place. After Russell Westbrook was racially abused during a game in Salt Lake City, Maxwell shared a similar story from his playing career.
“This goes way back to when I played here. When I used to come here and play—I mean, I don’t care what team I played with—I was gonna get abused with the N-word…” Maxwell remembered, “I told your owner [Larry H. Miller] at halftime, ‘Hey, the fans over here, they’re racist; they’re over here calling me the N-word.’ And nobody ever would do anything or say anything.”
Utah is unfortunately not the only fanbase that racially attacks NBA players. Jaylen Brown once came out saying that the Boston Celtics have a similar problem.
These abuses continue to be a problem. Attendees have received lifetime bans from all NBA events for similar behavior, but that, unfortunately, doesn’t stop others from following suit.
As far as reasons for hate go, this one seems justified.
