Two-time National Basketball Association champion Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell points to the pillars of the game when it comes to the question, “Who is the greatest NBA player of all time?”
“I measure it by those who changed the game,” said the former Boston Celtics standout on Sunday afternoon while taking part in the Legends & Stars Sports Expo at Batavia Downs Gaming. “Wilt Chamberlain changed the game. They had to change the game to fit him in.
“(Bill) Russell with his 11 championship rings. Those two guys are standard bearers for me when I think about greatness in players. Those would be my first two.”
When asked if personal statistics matter, he responded: “Yes, it is about numbers. It’s about winning championships. So, if you talk about winning championships, Bill Russell (of the Celtics), with 11 rings, is the greatest.”
Maxwell, the most valuable player in the 1981 NBA finals, did mention Lebron James and Michael Jordan, the two players who usually are at the top of the GOAT debate list.
“When it comes to those two, I would start with Lebron and then put Michael next,” he said.
The Celtics beat the Houston Rockets in ’81 with Maxwell and Larry Bird leading the way and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984 when Maxwell confidently told his teammates “to get on my back, boys” in the decisive seventh game (when he scored 24 points in a 111-102 victory).
Boston went on to win another title behind Hall of Famer Bird in 1986, a year after Maxwell was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
When asked about playing with Bird, the 6-foot-8 power forward said he “didn’t pay much attention to him until he stepped on the floor (in 1979).”
“I averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds when Larry got there; I was the big dog,” he said. “I thought, early on, who is this guy? I didn’t think he could be that good. That was until he stepped on the court and he showed that he was the truth. He just set a different standard.”
Maxwell acknowledged that the NBA is much different today with its emphasis on three-point shooting. He noted that in the last game of the 1981 finals, only six three-pointers were taken.
“The ‘3’ was just an afterthought back then,” he said. “The game has changed completely, and I don’t think for the good. Understand that the three-point shot is an easier shot to take – not to make.”
He recalled that his teammate, the late Chris Ford, made the first three-point shot (in 1979).
“I got a chance to see that but I didn’t know that it was (a harbinger of) things to come.”
In his 26th year as a commentator for the Celtics’ radio broadcasts, Maxwell, 67, said he thinks this year’s Celtics have the right stuff to capture Banner 18, which would be the franchise’s first NBA crown since 2008.
“They’re hitting on all cylinders right now and even when their best player (Jason Tatum) isn’t scoring well, everybody else picks him up.,” he said. “The bench is really tough. I think that’s the difference between the really good teams and elite teams.”
Photo at top: Cedric Maxwell greets longtime Celtics' fan Vin Bukiewicz of Batavia.
DERRICK COLEMAN – Working to help inner-city youth
The former Syracuse Orange basketball star was the No. 1 pick in the 1990 NBA draft and 1991 league Rookie of the Year with the New Jersey Nets. The 6-foot-10 power forward played for three more teams in a pro career – averaging 16.5 points per game over 15 seasons.
Today, he lives in the city where he grew up, Detroit, advocating for inner-city boys and girls through various athletics. He said his latest venture is introducing the sport of lacrosse to youth.
“I was exposed to the sport while at Syracuse and now am working with USA Lacrosse to possibly bring summer camps to Detroit,” he said. “The mission of Derrick Coleman Elite Foundation is to create opportunities for kids to go to college.”
Photo: Derrick Coleman signs a shirt for Batavian Tony Calarco.
RYAN LEAF – Getting his life in order after football
Anyone who follows the NFL knows the story of former quarterback Ryan Leaf, the No. 2 overall pick of the San Diego Chargers in 1998 (after Peyton Manning), who failed to live up to his billing for a number of reasons beyond subpar play.
Leaf’s life went into a downward spiral after four years in the NFL, eventually landing him in prison for burglary and drug-related offenses.
He said he has been in recovery from substance use disorder for the past 11 years, and has devoted his life to helping others overcome the stigma of mental health and addiction as a program ambassador for Transcend Recovery Community.
“Asking for help is the strongest thing you’ll ever do,” Leaf said, referring to those struggling with substance use.
The father of a 5-year-old boy, Leaf, who starred at Washington State University, also works as a college football analyst for the ESPN network.
Photo: Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack Ham, left, and Ryan Leaf.
RAY “BOOM BOOM” MANCINI – Making his mark in indie films
The World Boxing Association Lightweight champion from 1982-84, the Youngstown, Ohio native (and resident) posted a 29-5 career record. He was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015.
Today, Mancini, 61, is an independent film producer, specializing in what he calls “high-concept film.”
“There are four successful themes for indie movies – horror/thriller, which is not my flavor; faith-based because you have to build an audience; documentaries, and high-concept film,” he said. “Our current project is a crime thriller in the world of EDM – electronic dance music.
“The one-line pitch is The Sopranos meets Saturday Night Fever. If you liked both of them, then you’ll like this.”
Mancini retired from the ring in 1992 and later moved to Los Angeles to learn about the movie industry.
“I got an education in LA and paid for it myself,” he said. “Now, we’re working with AMC Plus, Paramount Plus and Amazon.”
Photo: Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini autographs a photo of him in the ring.
Photos by Mike Pettinella.
