Vernon Maxwell wasn’t the flashiest or the most explosive shooting guard during his tenure in the league. But his ‘never back down’ mentality was something that went on to inspire Mario Chalmers and the intensity with which he approached the game. When he appeared on MaXed Out, Chalmers shared Vernon’s interactions with Michael Jordan back then that shaped the former Heat guard into the player he went on to become.
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Like many current and former players in the league, Chalmers too looked up to the Chicago Bulls legend growing up. But as much the admiration he had for MJ, Rio also took inspiration from Vernon’s fiery approach when facing Jordan.
“You not backing down from Jordan, that’s my favorite one. For me, Jordan’s always been my favorite player. And Max you were one of my favorite players too, just because you didn’t back down from nobody.”
Chalmers then went on to draw similarities between himself and how Maxwell was back in the day.
“Anybody that see me play know I don’t back down from anybody. I’m always up for a challenge and I get that from learning from watching people before me.”
He played in the league for 9 years and won two NBA championships with the Heat franchise. And looking back at how he played, the 6’2 guard did play with a certain level of intensity and love for the game.
One of the best examples of Rio’s fierceness came during his Miami days when he cussed out LeBron James. Chalmers called out The King during a timeout, which almost led to an altercation between the two teammates.
Although nothing transpired further between the two, Chalmers did end up sparking a fire under James, who then led the Heat to win that game.
Mad Max’s battles with MJ
Chalmers came into the league and was given the starting point guard duties right out of the gate. Though the Kansas State product wasn’t the most highly touted prospect in the draft, the way he played right from the get-go does reflect being inspired by Maxwell.
The Houston Rockets legend’s battles with Jordan were always a highlight to watch. Nicknamed Mad Max due to his smoldering intensity and ferocity, Maxwell was one of the few players who truly went at Jordan.
The two-time NBA champion once opened up on the sleepless nights he’d have before facing Chicago the next day. He mentioned Jordan was someone who would constantly come at you. And just to throw him off his game, Mad Max would try different tactics from time to time.
However, despite his many attempts, MJ somehow managed to always get the upper hand. But that never discouraged Maxwell from backing down in front of him.
