There’s raw, and then there’s Vernon Maxwell.
The two-time NBA champion, better known as “Mad Max,” has long been one of basketball’s most unapologetic voices — a truth-teller who never learned how to sugarcoat anything. Whether lighting up NBA defenses in the ’90s or social media timelines in the 2020s, Maxwell doesn’t mince words. Now, the former Houston Rockets guard is taking his talents to the media world in a major way — joining the All The Smoke family with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson — and he’s doing it his way.
For Maxwell, it’s all about storytelling. Not just the typical highlight-reel stuff — but the real stories. The behind-the-scenes, locker room truths that never made it to SportsCenter. And the fact that he can now do it on a platform that lets him speak freely? He’s loving every second.
“They let me be me,” Maxwell says of All The Smoke. “If I can talk the way I like? You KNOW how I talk. If you let me speak the way we were able to on All The Smoke — say what the hell we wanna say? Sheeeeeit. It’s always gonna be some good stuff coming out.”
Mad Max joining the All The Smoke crew wasn’t some overnight thing. It was two years in the making, with Maxwell keeping close ties with Barnes and Jackson. Even when he had two broken ribs during filming, he still showed up and showed out — because the authenticity meant more than the pain.
“Jack and Matt are doing it the right way,” he says. “They give us a say. They gave me a platform I’ve been trying to get to for three years.”
Now he’s got it, and he’s wasting no time making it count.
MJ vs. LeBron: There’s Levels to This
In the endless debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James, Maxwell doesn’t hesitate — and it’s not just about rings or nostalgia.
“I love LeBron to death,” he says. “But Michael Jordan was just on another level.”
For him, the eye test wins. It’s about watching 48 minutes of MJ domination, not just highlight reels on YouTube. “Young kids today? They didn’t see Michael play. Not really. They need to sit down and watch a full game. When you see him get 32 a night, do everything defensively, carry the team… then you get it.”
Maxwell respects LeBron’s greatness but says if he were ranked No. 2 all-time, he’d wear it proudly. “Shit, I’d be like, ‘There he go. Only one motherf***er better than me!’”
Kobe, From Day One
Long before the world realized what Kobe Bryant would become, Vernon Maxwell already knew.
“I was such a Kobe fan,” he recalls. “I heard all that chatter when he first came in. I used to tell folks, ‘He’s just trying to make a living. He’s a brash-ass kid.’”
Maxwell had seen it firsthand — even during Bryant’s high school years. He knew Kobe’s confidence, work ethic, and approach were rare. “Kobe was exactly what I said he was back then,” Maxwell says.
Dream Talk: Hakeem Was Different
When it comes to big men, nobody gets more love from Mad Max than Hakeem Olajuwon. The way he talks about The Dream? Like watching an artist at work.
“His moves, his footwork? That man looked like a damn ballerina out there,” Maxwell says. “He’d sprint down the floor, hit that left block, and it was a WRAP.”
He doesn’t think we’ll ever see centers like that again. The game’s changed. Post-ups are rare. Paint dominance? Almost extinct. “That era’s over,” he says flatly. “These bigs today want to shoot threes. That old-school block-to-block grind? Gone.”
Kevin Garnett had good footwork too, he says, but there was just something different about Hakeem. “We’d just space out and wait. Give it to him and let him work.”
KD to the Rockets? Count Him In.
Maxwell lights up when the idea of Kevin Durant going to Houston comes up. “I would love to see that,” he says.
Why? Simple. KD changes everything. “They just need a guy who demands a double team. They don’t have that guy yet.”
He sees KD pairing perfectly with Alperen Şengün, Houston’s creative big man. “That would be crazy. Then think about who else is out there: Dillon the Villain? He’s gonna be open all the time.”
With the right star like KD, Maxwell believes the Rockets could make serious noise. “They’d have a legit chance of bringing a championship back to Houston.”
Şengün’s a Joker-Type
Maxwell sees shades of Nikola Jokić in Alperen Şengün. Not flashy, not athletic — but damn effective.
“Neither one can jump. But both can pass, both are crafty,” he says. “Şengün’s got that Jokic feel. That pace. That footwork.”
And if KD joins the mix? “Game over. It’s gonna be a problem.”
And Then Came Utah…
You knew Vernon couldn’t do an interview without a little controversy — and when Cooper Flagg’s name came up in relation to the Utah Jazz? Maxwell leaned in.
“That’s what they do,” he said of Utah. “They send them white boys over there. When’s the last time Utah drafted a Black player? Do that!”
Shots fired — but from Maxwell, it’s less about shock and more about a truth he’s never been afraid to speak.
Mad Max, Still Loud, Still Proud
Vernon Maxwell may be decades removed from his NBA playing days, but he’s more relevant than ever. Whether it’s calling out poor basketball IQ, honoring legends, or pushing for a Rockets revival, he’s staying true to himself.
No filter. No corporate leash. Just Vernon being Vernon — and now, thanks to platforms like All The Smoke, more people are finally hearing the stories he’s been holding onto.
“I’ve been after this for years,” he says. “Now that I’ve got it? It’s time to really talk.”
And trust — that means must-see content is on the way.
