Last Updated on April 14, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
Cedric Bryan Maxwell, nicknamed “Cornbread,” is an American retired professional basketball player renowned for his contributions to the Boston Celtics during the late 1970s and 1980s. Here’s an overview of his background and career:
Player Profile
- Full Name: Cedric Bryan Maxwell
- Nationality: American
- Date of Birth: November 21, 1955
- Hometown: Kinston, North Carolina, USA
- Height: 6 feet 8 inches (203 cm)
- Weight: 205 pounds (93 kg)
- Wingspan: 6 feet 9 inches
- Shoe Size: Size 16 (US)
- Jersey Numbers: 30, 31, 19, 18
- Position: Small Forward
- High School: Kinston High School, Kinston, North Carolina
- College: University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte)
- NBA Draft: 1977, Round 1, 12th overall pick by the Boston Celtics
- Teams Played For:
- Boston Celtics (1977–1985)
- Los Angeles Clippers (1985–1987)
- Houston Rockets (1987–1988)
- Championship Rings: 2× NBA Champion with the Boston Celtics (1981, 1984)
- Children: Information not publicly available
- Siblings: Information not publicly available
- Career Highlights:
- Maxwell played a pivotal role in leading the UNC Charlotte 49ers to the NCAA Final Four in 1977.
- He was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1981.
- The Boston Celtics retired his jersey number 31 in honor of his contributions to the team.
- Post-retirement, Maxwell transitioned into radio broadcasting and has been serving as a color commentator for Celtics radio broadcasts since 2001.
Player Archetype / Play Style
Cedric Maxwell was an efficient interior forward archetype, the kind of smart, physical frontcourt scorer who thrived without needing star-level volume or flashy isolation play. Defensively, he handled rugged forward assignments, used positioning well, and competed with enough toughness to fit winning front lines even if his reputation leaned more toward reliability than shutdown defense. Offensively, he did his best work close to the basket, scoring through crafty low-post moves, fakes, offensive rebounding, and high-percentage finishes rather than perimeter shot-making, while also moving the ball well for his position. Physically, Maxwell brought a lean but rangy 6-foot-8 frame at about 205 pounds, and his overall style was heady, efficient, and competitive—an unorthodox but highly effective inside scorer whose feel, toughness, and timely play made him more valuable than his raw profile first suggested. (Basketball Reference)
Sources: NBA.com — Cedric Maxwell | Forward | Boston Celtics; Basketball-Reference — Cedric Maxwell Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and More; CelticsBlog — Cedric Maxwell and all-time underrated Boston Celtics; NESN — Cedric Maxwell’s Celtics Legacy: 1981 Finals MVP, “Cornbread” Moments and Boston Titles