Corey Maggette

Corey Antoine Maggette was born on November 12, 1979, in Melrose Park, Illinois. He excelled in high school at Fenwick in Oak Park, Illinois, where he was recognized as an All-American in basketball. His college career at Duke University saw him average 10.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as a freshman in 1998-99, earning him a spot on the ACC All-Rookie Team. Maggette, alongside Duke teammates Elton Brand and William Avery, made the notable decision to leave college before completing their athletic eligibility. In July 2000, Maggette acknowledged accepting $2,000 from his Amateur Athletic Union coach in high school, which briefly brought his college eligibility into question, though the NCAA later chose not to penalize Duke as they were unaware of the situation at the time.

Maggette began his NBA career after being selected as the 13th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics. On draft night, he was traded to the Orlando Magic. In his rookie season (1999–2000), he averaged 8.4 points and 3.9 rebounds across 77 games. In 2000, he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, where he spent eight seasons. During his tenure with the Clippers, he developed a reputation as a consistent scorer, often averaging over 15 points per game. He was particularly known for his ability to draw fouls and convert free throws, frequently ranking among the league leaders in both categories. His dedication led to a playoff appearance with the Clippers in 2006, where the team advanced past the first round for the first time since relocating from Buffalo. A highlight of his career with the Clippers was scoring 39 points against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007.

In 2008, Maggette signed a five-year contract with the Golden State Warriors, where he continued to be a productive player, averaging 19.3 points and 5.4 rebounds over two seasons, often coming off the bench as a sixth man. His career progression saw him traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2010 and then to the Charlotte Bobcats in 2011. He concluded his playing career with the Detroit Pistons in the 2012-13 season. After 14 years in the NBA, Maggette retired from playing professionally. Post-retirement, he transitioned into broadcasting, serving as an analyst for Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket for the Los Angeles Clippers, and later as a college basketball analyst for Fox Sports 1. Additionally, he became involved with the BIG3 league, earning an MVP award and Captain of the Year award in 2018 after leading his team, Power, to a championship.