Florida basketball legends Vernon Maxwell and Andrew Moten will serve as the celebrity Mr. Two Bits on Saturday when the Gators host the South Carolina Gamecocks inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for their 2026 homecoming game.
Both will be inducted into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday night before the early afternoon matchup in the Swamp, which kicks off at 12:45 p.m. ET.
Known as the "M&M Boys" during their time together in the 1980s, the tandem of Maxwell and Moten represents one of the best backcourts to ever suit up for Florida. The two combined for a total of 4,380 career points for the Orange and Blue and carried the Gators to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 1987, winning a pair of games and advancing to the Sweet 16.
Moten was the first of the two to arrive at Florida, earning the SEC Freshman of the Year award in 1983. That year, the program snapped its five-year streak of finishing under .500, tallying a 16-13 record during his debut campaign. Maxwell joined him the following season, and together, they continued to elevate the Gators to the next level.
Once known as "Mad Max," Maxwell's return to Gainesville this weekend represents the final chapter in a long journey that once saw him outcast from Florida's inner circle after the program was penalized for infractions related to the former Buchholz standout.
Florida was punished with a year of probation for those violations, with then Athletic Director Bill Arnsparger taking the extra step of erasing two seasons of Maxwell's statistics from the record books — including nearly 1,400 points— in a practically unprecedented move. For years, that decision was bemoaned by longtime UF fans who understood what he meant to the Gators' hoops history.
It wasn't until September 2025 — more than 35 years later — that the University Athletic Association restored Maxwell's stats, returning him to his rightful spot as the No. 1 scorer in Florida basketball history with 2,450 career points. That also put him back at No. 3 in SEC history, behind only "Pistol" Pete Maravich (LSU) and Allan Houston (Tennessee), respectively.
Maxwell was selected by the Denver Nuggets in the second round with the 47th overall pick of the 1988 NBA draft and went on to play 16 years in the NBA, winning a pair of championships with the Houston Rockets. Moten competed for 15 seasons overseas after being drafted in the fourth round with the 72nd overall pick by the New Jersey Nets in 1987.
Two seasons ago, Moten returned to campus as part of a new tradition honoring distinguished alumni during each home game. Last year, the M&Ms came back for an all-eras Florida basketball reunion, with Maxwell returning a few months after that, receiving a warm welcome from a sold-out O'Connell Center crowd during the 2025-26 campaign.
"I'm proud to be a Gator, always have been," Moten said. "I'll say that all day long."
As for his role as Mr. Two Bits on Saturday, Moten plans on taking a backseat to his former teammate when leading the cheer.
"I may have bit off more than I can chew. I forgot about how 'Mr. Two Bits' used to run around all over the place," Moten admits.
"I have six screws in my ankle now. I'll let Vernon do the jumping-around parts."
About Florida football's Mr. Two Bits tradition
The Mr. Two Bits tradition began with George Edmondson, who led the crowd with his "Two Bits" cheer starting in 1950 until he retired from the role in 2009. From then to 2013, mascot Albert the Alligator donned the dress that Edmondson had worn throughout the decades while leading the fans with the same cheer.
This season marks the 14th year of the celebrity Mr. Two Bits tradition, in which a famous alumnus or a notable student earns the designation and is charged with the task of energizing the crowd alongside the Gators mascot.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Pair of basketball greats to serve as Mr. Two. Bits for homecoming
