Vernon Maxwell’s long-running feud with certain NBA fan bases just found fresh fuel—and this time, it’s not Utah on the receiving end. Known for his legendary outbursts and brutal honesty, Mad Max is taking aim at Knicks fans amid their heated playoff run. However, before directing his ire toward New York, Maxwell reignited his long-standing criticism of a familiar figure—John Stockton. Maxwell, never one to bite his tongue, didn’t just criticize the Jazz legend—he dropped the hammer.
A few weeks ago, Maxwell appeared on All The Smoke. As soon as the conversation turned to Stockton, he let loose with zero hesitation. “Stockton dirty as f—.” Maxwell declared. “One of the dirtiest players ever in NBA history… he is dirty as hell, he is a dog, he is a demon. Just don’t look like that,” Maxwell said. Despite professing respect for the Hall of Famer, Maxwell stressed that admiration doesn’t absolve Stockton’s on-court grit—and alleged grime.
Then came the twist. Matt Barnes stirred the pot by digging up some of Maxwell’s tweets from back in the day, where he mocked Jazz fans. But this time, it’s not Utah. Maxwell then turned his ire toward Knicks fans, backed by his own archived tweets.
It all started when Barnes said, “We are in some dangerous motherf–king water right now because if the Knicks get to the finals and happen to win the finals, we’re not gonna be able to tell no one from New York nothing for the next 20 years…” To which Maxwell fired back, “I can’t stand the motherf–kers man.”
Still, the energy inside Madison Square Garden? Maxwell admits it’s unmatched. “A lot of shit talking before you know, we fu–in was talking so much s–t outside the arena. I say goddamn. I’m glad we ain’t playing against all their motherfuckers,” he recalled. And that’s what Tyrese Haliburton’s Pacers might be thinking wight now.
However, beneath all the jabs, he confessed, “It’s one of my best place to play in the NBA I love playing and, and damn in New York and like they said, it’s the Meccas.”
And when we talk about Maxwell’s and Knicks, it goes to the 1994 NBA Finas. He helped the Rockets take down New York in a grueling 7-game battle. Maxwell dropped 13.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game in that series, sealing his name into Rockets lore. So can Tyrese Haliburton’s Pacers can pull the same move on Knicks? only time will tell.
Vernon Maxwell’s old tweets reignite his Utah feud
While Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers are getting ready for the Knicks, let’s look at another All the Smoke podcast, where Matt Barnes stirred the pot by digging up one of Maxwell’s classic tweets aimed at Jazz fans. Reading Maxwell’s tweet out loud, Barnes said, “I’d like to apologize to the Jazz fans that were offended by my tweet. If I knew you guys had the Internet in Utah, I would have never made those tweets.” That’s vintage Maxwell right there—sarcastic, sharp, and unfiltered, just the way fans remember him.
Naturally, this wasn’t just some random dig. Around the league, Utah’s fan base has earned a pretty strong rep, for all the wrong reasons. Toxic, hostile, and downright brutal at times. And if there’s anyone who’s called them out the loudest and longest, it’s Mad Max. He’s not necessarily beefing with the Jazz organization, but their fans? That’s personal. And he’s made sure everyone knows it.
Then again, Barnes wasn’t done scrolling. He pulled up another gem from Maxwell’s archive that read, “I’d rather be stuck in traffic in LA than have courtside seats in Utah.” Let’s be honest, for most people, courtside seats are gold. But for Maxwell? He’d take honking horns and gridlock over the Salt Lake experience any day.
To make things even more savage, Maxwell kept that same energy last year. After the Rockets edged the Jazz 101-100, he fired off, “Tell their a– use as muuuuuuuuuuch Wi-Fi as they can in that arena to cry about that loss. I know they don’t have none once they walk out of there.” Clearly, he’s not letting up. And just when you think he’s out of ammo, another tweet surfaces. “Remember, no matter how bad things may seem, at least you’re not in Dallas. And for my Dallas people, at least you’re not in Utah.”
But beneath all the one-liners, there’s real pain. Back in 2021, Maxwell revealed on The Rex Chapman Show, “The people out there, they abused me. Talk about my mama, my grandma, talk about the stillborn; they call me the N-word. You see what they did to Ja Morant and his mom and dad.” That kind of trauma doesn’t fade, and it explains exactly why Maxwell keeps coming back for Utah fans.
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