Former Celtics Finals MVP reveals he was offered cocaine during his NBA career

The NBA as it is today is completely different from where it was in the 70s. Before the arrival of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and then eventually Michael Jordan, the NBA had serious problems with ratings, and the league was experiencing serious financial difficulties.

When Cedric Maxwell walked into the league in 1977, he was joining NBA royalty with the Boston Celtics. But even though the team had dominated the 60s and part of the 70s, the rampant issues with drug abuse hadn't spared their locker room either.

Maxwell opened up about his experience in an interview with The Guardian, saying, "During the late 1970s, drugs were big in the NBA. I was asked multiple times did I want to get some coke or do some blow. But I had a strong enough constitution to know that wasn’t something I wanted. Those bad habits, those things I was able to avoid.”

Cedric Maxwell would go on to win Finals MVP in 1981, adding another championship with the Celtics in 1984 as well. Playing alongside Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, Maxwell was part of the 80s, which revived the league and laid the foundation for what it has become today.

In the modern era, NBA franchises invest millions into winning and if players are even spotted drinking during the season, it gets looked down upon. It's a true testament to how much the world has changed overall, too, and the idea of players indulging in hard drugs is quite wild to try and wrap one's head around.

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