Tito Maddox
Encyclopedia
Theodore D. "Tito" Maddox (born June 7, 1981 in Compton, California
) is an American professional basketball
player formerly in the NBA.
.
(WAC) Freshman of the Year after averaging 13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.6 steals. He started his collegiate career by guiding Fresno State to 11 consecutive wins.
As guard, Maddox knew how to share the ball, leading the WAC and ranking fourth nationally with 8.0 assists per game and ending the season with 130 assists in WAC play which stands as a school record and the second-highest total in conference history. That record was partly due to compiling double figures in assists five times and registering one stretch with three consecutive double-digit assist performances, including a school-record-tying and career-high 17 assists vs. Texas Christian on Jan. 10, 2001.
Maddox was named WAC Player of the Week on Dec. 26, 2000 after averaging 18.7 points, 10.3 assists and 2.3 steals in wins over Toledo, Louisiana-Lafayette and Georgia; And his performance vs. Toledo and Louisiana-Lafayette also earned him MVP honors in the 2000 Trend Homes Classic. He received WAC Player of the Week recognition once again after logging 16 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and a career-high five steals vs. Texas-El Paso on Jan. 25, 2000.
Maddox also earned selection to the All-WAC Second Team, the WAC All-Newcomer Team and the NABC District 13 First Team.
s. By the time he was playing for Fresno State, Maddox was flown to meet with agents in Las Vegas, Nevada
and they came to a covert agreement. He and his mother began receiving cash payments as well as cars: a late-model Nissan Altima
for his mother and a 1997 Ford Explorer
for him. Maddox estimated he received $1,500 every month for about a year and a half, totaling almost $30,000. In explaining his actions, he claimed that his unfamiliarity with NCAA rules let him to ask the agents what they could do to help his family; noting that "They let me know they could help me, they put it out there on the table: 'If you come with us, we can help your mom, brothers and sister with whatever they need.' That's all I cared about. I didn't know the rules then, and of course they didn't explain it."
Maddox was suspended for the first eight games of the 2000 season after he admitted that he and then-USC
forward Jeff Trepagnier
were supplied with airline tickets to meet with the agents Ron and Ken Delpit of Franchise Sports. Things took a turn for the worst when he boarded another illegally paid-for flight to visit his girlfriend in El Paso in 2001. Upon finding out, Fresno State ruled him ineligible for the 2001-02 season and Maddox opted to declare for the 2002 NBA Draft
. He chose different agents as he found no one knew of those that he had previously been dealing with.
In December 2002, Maddox revealed to the Fresno Bee that he had accepted illegal benefits,
Fresno State ended up with a self-imposed two-year probation and a loss of three scholarships.
, Maddox was selected in the second round (38th overall) by the Houston Rockets
. He averaged 1.2 points with 0.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists in nine games during his rookie season, playing at most 11 minutes on Feb. 22 vs. Memphis. He spent three stints on the injured list that year and at the end of the season he ended his career where it started. He was cut the next year by the Cleveland Cavaliers
, giving him a total of only one season in the NBA.
.
In July 2007, Maddox underwent surgery to remove a cancerous brain tumor
. The surgery was successful.
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
) is an American professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player formerly in the NBA.
Early years
Maddox was raised by his mother, Gloria, in a single-parent Compton home along with his three younger siblings. He was a star basketball player at Compton High SchoolCompton High School
Compton High School is a high school in Compton, California, part of the Compton Unified School District.-School history:The school first opened in 1896 as Compton Union High School and then later reestablished as Compton Senior High School in the 1950s after the new community college campus opened...
.
College career
At 6'4", 190 lbs. Maddox made his mark his sole year at Fresno State, being named the 2001 Western Athletic ConferenceWestern Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
(WAC) Freshman of the Year after averaging 13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.6 steals. He started his collegiate career by guiding Fresno State to 11 consecutive wins.
As guard, Maddox knew how to share the ball, leading the WAC and ranking fourth nationally with 8.0 assists per game and ending the season with 130 assists in WAC play which stands as a school record and the second-highest total in conference history. That record was partly due to compiling double figures in assists five times and registering one stretch with three consecutive double-digit assist performances, including a school-record-tying and career-high 17 assists vs. Texas Christian on Jan. 10, 2001.
Maddox was named WAC Player of the Week on Dec. 26, 2000 after averaging 18.7 points, 10.3 assists and 2.3 steals in wins over Toledo, Louisiana-Lafayette and Georgia; And his performance vs. Toledo and Louisiana-Lafayette also earned him MVP honors in the 2000 Trend Homes Classic. He received WAC Player of the Week recognition once again after logging 16 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and a career-high five steals vs. Texas-El Paso on Jan. 25, 2000.
Maddox also earned selection to the All-WAC Second Team, the WAC All-Newcomer Team and the NABC District 13 First Team.
Scandal and departure
Maddox was the center of a major illegal benefits scandal while a student-athlete at Fresno State, creating NCAA rules violations. In the summer of 1998, before his final year of high school, Maddox had befriended an events promoter who ended up working on behalf of sports agentSports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
s. By the time he was playing for Fresno State, Maddox was flown to meet with agents in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
and they came to a covert agreement. He and his mother began receiving cash payments as well as cars: a late-model Nissan Altima
Nissan Altima
The Nissan Altima is a mid-size automobile manufactured by Nissan, and is arguably a continuation of the Nissan Bluebird line, which began in 1957. It has historically been larger, more powerful, and more luxurious than the Nissan Sentra but less so than the Nissan Maxima. The Altima is available...
for his mother and a 1997 Ford Explorer
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer is a sport-utility vehicle sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Chicago, Illinois...
for him. Maddox estimated he received $1,500 every month for about a year and a half, totaling almost $30,000. In explaining his actions, he claimed that his unfamiliarity with NCAA rules let him to ask the agents what they could do to help his family; noting that "They let me know they could help me, they put it out there on the table: 'If you come with us, we can help your mom, brothers and sister with whatever they need.' That's all I cared about. I didn't know the rules then, and of course they didn't explain it."
Maddox was suspended for the first eight games of the 2000 season after he admitted that he and then-USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
forward Jeff Trepagnier
Jeff Trepagnier
Jeffery Trepagnier is an American professional basketball player.-Pro career:He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and was a second round draft pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2001 NBA Draft...
were supplied with airline tickets to meet with the agents Ron and Ken Delpit of Franchise Sports. Things took a turn for the worst when he boarded another illegally paid-for flight to visit his girlfriend in El Paso in 2001. Upon finding out, Fresno State ruled him ineligible for the 2001-02 season and Maddox opted to declare for the 2002 NBA Draft
2002 NBA Draft
The 2002 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2002 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting 57 amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from non-North...
. He chose different agents as he found no one knew of those that he had previously been dealing with.
In December 2002, Maddox revealed to the Fresno Bee that he had accepted illegal benefits,
Fresno State ended up with a self-imposed two-year probation and a loss of three scholarships.
Professional career
An early entry candidate for the 2002 NBA Draft2002 NBA Draft
The 2002 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2002 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting 57 amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from non-North...
, Maddox was selected in the second round (38th overall) by the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. He averaged 1.2 points with 0.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists in nine games during his rookie season, playing at most 11 minutes on Feb. 22 vs. Memphis. He spent three stints on the injured list that year and at the end of the season he ended his career where it started. He was cut the next year by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, giving him a total of only one season in the NBA.
Personal
Maddox currently resides with his wife and two children in Carson, CaliforniaCarson, California
Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city....
.
In July 2007, Maddox underwent surgery to remove a cancerous brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
. The surgery was successful.