Corey Maggette

Lore & Background

Maggette excelled at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Illinois where he was an All-American in basketball. He played college basketball for Duke University where as a freshman in 1998–99, he averaged 10.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game and was named to the ACC All-Rookie Team. Along with Duke teammates Elton Brand and William Avery, he is notable for being one of the first Duke players to leave before the end of his athletic eligibility during the tenure of coach Mike Krzyzewski. In July 2000, Maggette signed a sworn statement that as a high schooler, he accepted $2,000 from his Amateur Athletic Union summer league coach Myron Piggie, a move that put his eligibility at Duke in question. In 2004, the NCAA decided not to punish Duke because they were found to have been unaware about Maggette's eligibility issue while at Duke. Maggette was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics but was later traded to the Orlando Magic on draft night. As a rookie in 1999–2000, he averaged 8.4 points and 3.9 rebounds over 77 games. On June 28, 2000, Maggette was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. During his career with the Clippers, Maggette, whose teammates nicknamed him 'Maximus,' established himself as a solid forward and developed into a perennial 15+ per game scorer. He became known for excellent jumping ability as well as his propensity to create contact and get to the free throw line. Maggette participated in the Slam Dunk Contest at the 2001 NBA All-Star Weekend. On April 22, 2006, Maggette and his teammates helped the Clippers win their first NBA playoff game in 13 years by defeating the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of their first-round match-up. Two days later, the team won their second playoff game. On May 1, 2006, they defeated the Nuggets in Game 5 and, as a result, their first playoff series since they moved from Buffalo. In the Western Conference semifinals, the Clippers faced the Phoenix Suns and lost in seven games. In a series-saving 118–106 Game 6 win over the Suns, Maggette came off the bench to score 25 points while shooting 7-of-8 shooting from the field and 9-of-9 from the free throw line – the best playoff performance of his career. Maggette returned strongly during the 2006–07 season despite an alleged feud with coach Mike Dunleavy.

Reader's Guide

Corey Maggette played 14 NBA seasons, notably with the Los Angeles Clippers from 2000 to 2008. He was a 15+ point-per-game scorer known for his jumping ability and free-throw drawing. He helped the Clippers win their first playoff series since moving from Buffalo in 2006. After retiring, he became a basketball analyst for Fox Sports and won BIG3 MVP in 2018.

Did You Know?

• He scored a career-high 39 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 12, 2007.
• Maggette won the BIG3 MVP and Captain of the Year in 2018.