Male Athlete of the Year: Kareem Maddox

In stepped an athletic forward named Kareem Maddox.

Four years later, Maddox graduates having helped direct the greatest turnaround in the history of the program. After moving in and out of the starting lineup over the years as former head coach Sydney Johnson ’97 tinkered with how best to use him, Maddox found his home as a super-sub. As the Tigers’ sixth man this season, Maddox was named first-team All-Ivy and the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year. His 13.8 points per game, 7.0 rebounds per game, .568 field-goal percentage and 1.8 blocks per game were all team bests. He also averaged 2.5 assists per game, good for second on the team.

Maddox’s athleticism alone caused opponents problems from his freshman year. By this season, his wide array of well-developed inside moves made him extremely difficult to guard. Maddox complemented his post moves with solid handling and dribbling skills. He also sank the occasional jump shot, the most important of which was a game-winner with 10 seconds left against three-time defending Ivy League champion Cornell on the road.

His versatility manifested itself on the defensive end as well, as he was assigned to guard players of all five positions. He matched guards step for step with his quickness and bodied up big men with his imposing frame. His blocks were unapologetic.

Maddox’s consistency was important for a team that was otherwise relatively young. He gave Princeton fans a sign of what was to come with a 30-point outburst in November against frequent NCAA Tournament participant Siena before blasting Tulsa for 31 a few weeks later. In both games, he finished a sensational 10 of 13 from the floor.

His standout play continued through league season, where he saved his best for last. In its final conference game of the season, Princeton found itself down 23-19 at halftime to bitter rival Penn. A loss meant the end of the season while a win meant a share of an Ivy League title and a shot at Harvard for a winner-takes-all playoff game. Seizing the moment, Maddox exploded for 21 points in the second half. Following Maddox’s lead, Princeton scored 51 points in the half and won 70-58.

The following weekend, Princeton faced Harvard at Yale for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers had fallen to the Crimson just seven days earlier and had watched Harvard students storm the court in celebration of winning a share of the Ivy League title.

The game will always be remembered as one of the great athletic events in the history of Ivy League sports. Junior guard Doug Davis has forever earned the glory for his buzzer beater in the game, and rightfully so. But somewhat lost in the national media blitz that followed the game was Maddox’s blue-collar performance.

Matched up against Ivy League Player of the Year Keith Wright and second-team All-Ivy selection Kyle Casey for most of the game, Maddox battled his way to 10 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. Perhaps most importantly, Maddox stayed out of foul trouble while both Wright and Casey sat out key minutes down the stretch after each picked up their fourth fouls.

Maddox was not the traditional fit for the Princeton offense, which stresses selflessness, three-point shooting, good passing and meticulousness. Princeton teams of the past often lulled opposing defenses to sleep before stepping back for a three-pointer or scoring a layup on a backdoor cut. Physicality, offensive rebounding and the fast break simply were not part of the vocabulary.

Let’s just say Maddox — an English major — added to that vocabulary.

He was selfless and a good passer, but he could also attack the basket and create his own shot. He had the strength to rip offensive rebounds away from opponents, the speed to run the fast break, the court vision to find his open teammates, the athleticism to swat away weak shots and, last but not least, the panache to dunk. Ah yes, the dunk — perhaps the most non-Princeton offense play ever. But once Maddox, who won a dunk contest in high school, had earned the trust of his coach, he had no fear in bringing the Jadwin Gymnasium crowd to life with a thunderous slam. He was a fundamental player with flair, just what Princeton needed to bring the program back to life.