Florida basketball: 10 best NBA careers in Gators history
By Josh Yourish
![Mar 9, 2007; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida Gators guard Taurean Green (11), forward Al Horford (42) and forward Joakim Noah wait between plays against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second half of a quarterfinal round SEC Tournament game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA. Floirda won 74-57. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports Copyright © 2007 Jason Parkhurst Mar 9, 2007; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida Gators guard Taurean Green (11), forward Al Horford (42) and forward Joakim Noah wait between plays against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second half of a quarterfinal round SEC Tournament game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA. Floirda won 74-57. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports Copyright © 2007 Jason Parkhurst](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/bce721c9aead9b895e824d4c03b5ff1b4aadabb52807573c99e867dd6153743e.jpg)
No. 8 best Florida basketball NBA career: Vernon Maxwell
- Drafted: 1988 No. 47 overall (second round)
- NBA career games: 855
- NBA PPG: 12.8
- 2x NBA Champion
Mad Max was a three-time All-SEC at Florida and was selected by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 1988 NBA Draft. He ended up outplaying his draft slot, playing on eight different teams over a 13-year career.
The best years of Maxwell’s career were in Houston. In 1990-91 he averaged 17.0 points a game and in 1991-92 he upped that to 17.2. As the Rockets got better around Hakeem Olajuwon, Maxwell’s role diminished, but his sacrifice was well worth it.
The Rockets won back-to-back NBA Finals in 1994 and 1995, Maxwell’s only championships of his career.