Cedric Maxwell
1977–78 to 1987–88 · 11 seasons
NBA player comparison
Cedric Maxwell vs. Shareef Abdur-Rahim: Career comparison
Regular-season verdict
Cedric Maxwell ranks higher in career impact
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
1996–97 to 2007–08 · 12 seasons
Impact comparison
Box impact estimates points per 100 possessions above each season's league average. Higher is better. Career ranks and average league finishes work the other way: lower is better.
#270LeadsCareer Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#425
24.7LeadsBest 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better43.7
+1,600 ptsPoints above replacementCumulative regular-season value+1,764 ptsLeads
64.4LeadsBest 10 average finishAverage league place · lower is better66.0
+2.8Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.8
+2.1Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.1
Career Impact Rank places Cedric Maxwell #270 and Shareef Abdur-Rahim #425. It combines league finishes across each player's best three, five, and ten regular seasons, giving the most weight to the best three. Shareef Abdur-Rahim had more total career value.
Regular season only. Impact figures are estimates; small gaps are not exact. Playoffs, awards and titles do not determine the verdict.
Career Impact RankSee exactly how both rankings are calculatedCedric Maxwell34.573 · No. 270Shareef Abdur-Rahim49.733 · No. 425
Only the three league-finish windows below determine Career Impact Rank. Career Value and peak impact are separate measures; neither adds points to this calculation. Lower composite scores rank higher.
Cedric Maxwell
34.573 composite · No. 270 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 171978–79Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 281980–81Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 291979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 24.667 | 50% | 12.333 |
| Best 5No. 171978–79Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 281980–81Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 291979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 341977–78Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 481981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 31.200 | 30% | 9.360 |
| Best 10No. 171978–79Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 281980–81Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 291979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 341977–78Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 481981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 561986–87Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 781982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1161985–86Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1171983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1211984–85Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 64.400 | 20% | 12.880 |
12.333 + 9.360 + 12.880= 34.573
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
49.733 composite · No. 425 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 361998–99Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 451999–00Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 502000–01Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 43.667 | 50% | 21.833 |
| Best 5No. 361998–99Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 451999–00Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 502000–01Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 552001–02Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 591997–98Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 49.000 | 30% | 14.700 |
| Best 10No. 361998–99Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 451999–00Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 502000–01Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 552001–02Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 591997–98Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 682002–03Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 782003–04Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 802004–05Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 832005–06Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1061996–97Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 66.000 | 20% | 13.200 |
21.833 + 14.700 + 13.200= 49.733
Averages, contributions, and totals are displayed to three decimal places. The ranking calculation keeps full source precision. Read the full method →
Full comparison · Career comparison
Understand the numbers
Start with impact, then compare playing time and skills. Team results add context. These are not categories to tally into a winner.
1 · Ranking evidence
Impact: who ranks higher, and why?
Career Impact Rank compares entire regular-season careers across NBA history. It combines average league places across the best three, five, and ten seasons, weighted 50%, 30%, and 20%. A lower rank or average place is better.
| Metric | Cedric Maxwell | Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
|---|---|---|
| Career Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank | #270Better result for this metric. | #425 |
| Best 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 24.7Better result for this metric. | 43.7 |
| Best 5 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 31.2Better result for this metric. | 49.0 |
| Best 10 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 64.4Better result for this metric. | 66.0 |
Show more stats: Impact
| Metric | Cedric Maxwell | Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
|---|---|---|
| Points-above-replacement rankAll-time rank in estimated regular-season points above replacement | #255 | #222Better result for this metric. |
| Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +2.8 | +2.8 |
| Best 3 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +2.5Better result for this metric. | +2.3 |
| Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +2.1 | +2.1 |
| Best 10 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +1.1 | +1.5Better result for this metric. |
| Points above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better | +1,600 pts | +1,764 ptsBetter result for this metric. |
| Seasons ranked No. 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Top-five impact seasons | 0 | 0 |
| Top-ten impact seasons | 0 | 0 |
2 · Playing time and responsibility
How much did each player take on?
Read games and minutes alongside impact. Offensive usage is the share of team plays a player ends with a shot, free throws, or a turnover while on court. More usage is not automatically better.
| Metric | Cedric Maxwell | Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 835 | 830 |
| Minutes | 23,769 | 28,882 |
3 · Individual skills
Where does each player have an advantage?
These are each player's averages across up to ten best seasons. Career Impact Rank gives the Best 3, Best 5, and Best 10 average league finishes 50%, 30%, and 20% window weights, giving the most weight to the highest peak. The model accounts for position, role, pace, playing time, and team results. Green marks the better result for a metric, including lower turnover rates. Workload and shot-selection measures stay neutral. These rows are not votes toward the ranking.
Shooting
True shooting includes two-pointers, three-pointers, and free throws.
| Metric | Cedric Maxwell | Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
|---|---|---|
| True shooting percentage | 62.9%Better result for this metric. | 54.9% |
| True shootingAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 62.8%Better result for this metric. | 55.3% |
Show more stats: Shooting
| Metric | Cedric Maxwell | Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
|---|---|---|
| Field-goal percentage | 54.6%Better result for this metric. | 47.2% |
| Three-point percentage | 5.3% | 29.7%Better result for this metric. |
| Free-throw percentage | 78.4% | 81.0%Better result for this metric. |
Passing
Assist rate is the share of teammates’ made shots assisted while the player is on court. Read turnovers alongside offensive workload; lower turnover rate is generally better.
| Metric | Cedric Maxwell | Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
|---|---|---|
| Assist rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 10.3% | 13.9%Better result for this metric. |
| Assists per game | 2.2 | 2.5Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Passing
| Metric | Cedric Maxwell | Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 18.2% | 13.4%Better result for this metric. |
Rebounding
Rebound rate is the share of available rebounds collected while on court.
| Metric | Cedric Maxwell | Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
|---|---|---|
| Rebound rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 12.2% | 12.4%Better result for this metric. |
| Rebounds per game | 6.3 | 7.5Better result for this metric. |
Defense
Steals and blocks describe only part of defense. They do not capture every stop, rotation, or matchup.
| Metric | Cedric Maxwell | Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
|---|---|---|
| Steal rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 1.3% | 1.5%Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Defense
| Metric | Cedric Maxwell | Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
|---|---|---|
| Block rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 1.0% | 1.6%Better result for this metric. |
Scoring
Points per game describe scoring volume, not overall impact.
| Metric | Cedric Maxwell | Shareef Abdur-Rahim |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 12.5 | 18.1Better result for this metric. |
4 · Team context, not ranking inputs
What happened with and without them?
A verified with/without comparison is unavailable for this scope. We do not substitute another season’s observations.
Four separate questions
Impact, winning, playoffs, and awards
These are different ways to understand a career. Only Regular Season Impact determines the hussEyquation verdict. The other three sections add basketball context without adding points or changing the rank.
Regular Season Impact
Cedric Maxwell ranks higher in career impact.
Cedric MaxwellMetricShareef Abdur-Rahim
#270LeadsCareer Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#425
+2.8Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.8
+2.1Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.1
+1,600 ptsPoints above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better+1,764 ptsLeads
This is the ranking result. It uses regular-season impact only. Team records, playoffs, and awards do not change it.
Team Success
Cedric Maxwell leads every available measure below.
Cedric MaxwellMetricShareef Abdur-Rahim
560LeadsListed-team regular-season wins365
56.9%LeadsListed-team winning percentage35.3%
6Leads50-win team seasons0
5Leads60-win team seasons0
8LeadsPlayoff team seasons1
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Final records for every listed team-season. A traded season can include more than one team.
Playoff Résumé
Cedric Maxwell leads every available measure below.
Cedric MaxwellMetricShareef Abdur-Rahim
8LeadsPlayoff appearances1
102LeadsPlayoff games6
60LeadsTeam playoff wins2
3LeadsFinals appearances0
2LeadsChampionships0
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Team playoff results count only seasons when the player appeared in a playoff game.
Awards
No recorded measure separates these careers.
Cedric MaxwellMetricShareef Abdur-Rahim
Not availableAll-Star1
Not availableMVP0
Not availableAll-NBA0
Not availableAll-Defense0
Not availableDPOY0
Not availableRookie of the Year0
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Major regular-season honors are recognition, not inputs to the impact ranking.
How each context field is counted
- Listed-team regular-season wins
- The sum of each listed team's final wins in every season the player represented that team.
- Listed-team winning percentage
- Those team wins divided by those teams' total regular-season games.
- 50- and 60-win team seasons
- Listed team-seasons that finished with at least 50 or 60 wins. Shortened seasons are not projected to 82 games.
- Team seasons reaching playoffs
- Listed team-seasons in which that team qualified for the playoffs.
- Playoff appearances and games
- Postseasons and games in which the player appeared.
- Team playoff wins
- Team wins from those postseasons. They describe team results, not individual credit.
- Finals appearances and championships
- Seasons when the player appeared in the playoffs for the finalist or champion.
- Awards
- Recorded NBA selections and major regular-season honors. A zero means the source records none; Not available means the source field is missing.
Source and scope Basketball Reference, NBA seasons 1950–51 through 2025–26, accessed 2026-10-09.
Career Shape Explorer
How the careers developed
Follow every regular season by NBA experience or age. This view describes the path; it does not create another verdict.
Cedric MaxwellShareef Abdur-RahimPeak seasonHistorical source qualification
Estimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average
Striped bars mark seasons with fewer than 40 games. A dashed mark means that player had no season at the aligned point.
Season-by-season evidenceRead both careers at the same stage
Every observed season keeps its age, era-centered impact estimate, league rank when qualified, career-stage label, and exact evidence link. A missing career point stays missing.
Cedric MaxwellNBA seasonShareef Abdur-Rahim
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8
Season 9
Season 10
Season 11
Observed values come from the accepted season comparison record. Historical source qualifications stay attached to affected seasons. Missing means no NBA season exists at that aligned point; it is never interpolated. Missing is not the same as estimated.