The College of Florida has formally restored basketball legend Vernon Maxwell’s closing two years of faculty statistics, a transfer that when once more makes him this system’s all-time main scorer.
Vernon Maxwell Led Florida To Its First NCAA Event
Maxwell scored 2,450 factors throughout his 4 seasons at Florida (1985-89). He averaged 18.8 factors per sport and led the Gators to their first NCAA Event in 1987.
Earlier than this week, Maxwell ranked fifty fifth on the varsity’s all-time scoring listing. He’s now forward of Ronnie Williams (1980-84) and ranks third in SEC historical past, behind LSU’s “Pistol” Pete Maravich (3,667 factors, 1967-70) and Tennessee’s Allan Houston (2,801, 1990-93).
In response to Faculty Basketball Reference, Maxwell completed fourth within the SEC in profession subject objectives (921), second in profession subject aim makes an attempt (1,995), and fifteenth in minutes performed (4,194).
As well as, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard was a two-time, first-team All-SEC choice.
NCAA Imposed Two Years Of Sanctions On Gators
Following Maxwell’s faculty profession, nevertheless, the Gainesville native was the topic of an investigation that finally led to the NCAA putting the Gators on unsanctioned probation.
The Gators had been compelled to vacate three NCAA Event victories (two in 1987, one in 1988) through which Maxwell participated as a result of he had an agent.
Florida’s athletic director on the time, Invoice Arnsparger, additionally determined to strip Maxwell’s stats from the file books for these two years, taking away 1,404 factors over 67 video games.
rewriting historical past ✍️🗞️
Our No. 1 all-time scorer has been reinstated‼️ @VernonMaxwell11
ℹ️ https://t.co/w63ohqeBDm pic.twitter.com/Ce7jVjA5ws
— Florida Gators Males’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) September 18, 2025
After 35 years, present Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin lastly reinstated Maxwell’s numbers.
“Vernon Maxwell is without doubt one of the biggest gamers ever to put on a Gator uniform. You possibly can not write the historical past of Florida basketball with out him,” Stricklin mentioned in an interview with FloridaGators.com senior author Chris Harry.
“What occurred with this system and the NCAA didn’t change what Vernon achieved on the court docket in serving to put the Gators on the nationwide basketball map. He earned these factors.”
Maxwell Thrilled To Have Stats Reinstated
Maxwell, 60, will reportedly have a good time the information with pals, household, and former teammates throughout a program reunion this weekend, in accordance with The Related Press.
“I’m honored and actually appreciative that the legacy I created in my hometown of Gainesville can as soon as once more be celebrated, and my mom who’s 82 years previous will be capable to see this relationship mended, which suggests the world to me,” Maxwell wrote in a put up on social media.
I’m honored and actually appreciative that the legacy I created in my hometown of Gainesville can as soon as once more be celebrated and my mom who’s 82 years previous will be capable to see this relationship mended, which suggests the world to me. #GoGators @GatorsMBK
https://t.co/pZBXkqUpzt
— Vernon Maxwell (@VernonMaxwell11) September 18, 2025
Maxwell went on to play 12 years within the NBA with eight groups: the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets, Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Dallas Mavericks.
He gained back-to-back titles with the Rockets in 1994 and 1995.
