In the Heat's power surge in the 17th over on Sunday, Sam Heazlett tried to heave Nathan Coulter-Nile over mid-on where Maxwell, who began backpedalling from within the fielding circle, leapt high and snaffled the ball cleanly in his outstretched left-hand at full extension.
After completing the catch, Maxwell put his hand over his mouth in disbelief.
"I saw it on the big screen - it looked like a complete stuff-up," he said.
"I was running back and I thought it was going to be just outside the ring.
"I thought I had it, then it just got away from me.
"To be fair, when I put my hand out, I didn't think it was going to stick.
"It just went straight in my hand and I was a bit shocked.
"I saw 'Coults' on the ground, like 'I can't believe you caught that'.
"We were all a bit shocked."
As well as his incredible catch, Maxwell took 2-19 with the ball - including the key wicket of Heat danger man Chris Lynn - and crunched 37 with the bat.
Maxwell's scorching 104-run first-wicket stand with England import Joe Clarke ripped the match out of Brisbane's grasp and has the Stars captain considering employing the same opening combination this Wednesday against the Hobart Hurricanes.
"The way we're setting up in the middle order with Hilton Cartwright and Marcus Stoinis hitting the ball so powerfully, it could happen," Maxwell said.
"I start my innings a bit quicker and Joe comes into it in the back end of those four overs (powerplay) ... we just work really well together.
"It might be something we can explore going forward but there's nothing set in stone."
The sixth-placed Stars' thumping win saw them capture all four points and move to within two points of the fifth-ranked Hurricanes, potentially making the upcoming fixture between the two sides a mini-elimination final.
"We needed eight points from our last two games and we've started off well," Maxwell said.
"We'll have to wait on other results, but it's a good start."
