Karl Malone

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Karl Malone (born July 24, 1963 in Bernice, Louisiana) is a former professional basketball player. He was nicknamed in college as the Mailman for his consistency ("the mailman always delivers"), and was arguably the greatest power forward ever in the NBA.

Malone spent his first 18 seasons (1985–2003) as the star player for the Utah Jazz. He then played one season (2003-04) for the Los Angeles Lakers before retiring from the game.

Malone was famous for his extremely well-defined physique, which resembled that of a bodybuilder. Along with Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Dominique Wilkins, Elgin Baylor, and his longtime Jazz teammate John Stockton, he is considered to be one of the best players, perhaps even the best, never to have won a championship ring.

Malone's jersey was retired on March 23, 2006, when the Jazz hosted the Washington Wizards. He was also honored with the unveiling of a bronze statue outside the Delta Center next to one of teammate John Stockton, and the renaming of a portion of 100 South St. in Salt Lake City in his honor. The intersection where the Stockton and Malone statues stand is now the intersection of Stockton and Malone.

Contents

1 College career
2 NBA career
3 Reputation
4 Achievements and awards
5 Notable games
6 Trivia
7 Other interests
8 See also
9 External links

College career

Karl played for three years at Louisiana Tech University. He was ineligible to play his first year because of low grades and he worked hard to raise his grade point average to qualify. This became the hallmark of Karl's career. He was seldom the most talented player, but always went back to his strong work ethic to make up the difference. Karl was very popular in Ruston, Louisiana, and remains so today. He is well known for both his athletic abilities, and his dedication to developing commerce and job opportunities in the parish^{[[Citing sources citation needed]]}.

NBA career

Karl Malone was chosen by the Jazz in 1985 out of Louisiana Tech with the 13th overall pick in the draft.
After his rookie season, the Jazz saw in him the potential to be the cornerstone of their offense. So, they traded star forward, Adrian Dantley, to the Detroit Pistons and decided to build around him.
Malone's work ethic features prominently in his formative years in the NBA where he raised his free throw shooting percentage from below 50% to 75% in a few years. He also added a long range jump shot which made him virtually unguardable.
At the same time, reserve point guard John Stockton, was winning the trust of the coaching staff. By 1987 Karl was the foundation of the offense and Stockton was the floor general and both had All-Star seasons. That season was also the first for head coach Jerry Sloan. The three would be inseparable for 16 seasons. It was also at the end of that season that the Jazz as a team rose to national prominence after an amazing playoffs series against the Magic Johnson-led Los Angeles Lakers.
For many years, he and Stockton played together on the Jazz, forming one of the most productive guard-forward combinations in NBA history. Playing Jerry Sloan's scrappy and tough style and perfecting the pick and roll to a maximum degree of efficiency, the Jazz became a staple to make it to the playoffs and to have a winning record in the regular season.

Bronze statue of Malone

Karl was a very physical player. He liked to draw contact and put other players in foul trouble. As a result, he would lead the NBA in free throws made seven separate seasons (an NBA record). He was also a physical defender and rebounder. He was widely thought of as one of the dirtiest players in the league and was sometimes accused of intentionally trying to harm other players. Some of those who suffered collisions with Karl include Isiah Thomas, David Robinson, Shawn Bradley,Steve Nash and Hakeem Olajuwon.
By the mid-90's the Utah Jazz had risen to power as one of the top five teams in the league and had started to knock on the doors of the NBA Finals. They finally got there in 1997 and 1998 but were defeated both times by the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls.
In 1999 (the year after Jordan's retirement), the Jazz were the favorites to win, but were hindered by a compressed schedule (stemming from the NBA lockout) and instead started a gradual decline that was a reflection of the aging of their two superstar players. Eventually, Stockton would retire at the end of the 2003 season.
Karl stayed for one more season, joining the Los Angeles Lakers to try and win a championship, the only major achievement that had eluded him in his career. His bid failed as the Lakers were defeated in five games by the Detroit Pistons in 2004.
Although several NBA teams sought his services for the 2004-2005 season, Malone decided to retire as a player on February 13, 2005.
Karl Malone wore number 32 for the Utah Jazz. He wore number 11 for the Los Angeles Lakers (number 32 was retired honoring Magic Johnson) and also for the Dream Team (the players wore 4 to 15 to adhere to FIBA rules).

Reputation

Malone was considered by some to be a rough player. There were numerous instances during his career where other players were injured as a result of Malone's physical playing style. Below is a summary of several of the more prominent examples of Malone's perceived 'dirty' play:

At Louisiana Tech, Malone's elbow inadvertantly struck Rice center Dave Ramer in the face, shattering his cheekbone and collapsing his sinus. Ramer never played again.
On December 14, 1991, Malone's elbow hit the Detroit Pistons' Isiah Thomas in the head as he drove to the basket. Thomas needed 40 stitches above his eye. Malone was suspended and fined by the NBA. Alledgedly, Michael Jordan refused to be on the "Dream Team" if Isiah Thomas was on it, so John Stockton made the team instead of Thomas. Thomas responded by drilling Stockton for 44 points in a subsequent game. Pistons coach Chuck Daly accused Malone of intentionally harming Thomas in retribution for this.
On April 7, 1998, Malone's knee inadvertantly struck the Warriors Donyell Marshall, breaking one of his ribs, ending his season. Marshall would eventually play two seasons with the Utah Jazz from 2000-2002.
The next night, Malone's elbow inadvertantly knocked David Robinson unconscious, earning a suspension.
Malone was famous for his "kick jumpshot," where he would use a leg kick to power his jumpshot. He was fined for kicking Shawn Bradley on January 6, 2000.
On December 4, 2003, Malone's elbow inadvertantly hit Steve Nash, who required several stitches in his mouth, earning Malone a suspension.

Achievements and awards

The original Dream Team's starters. Top row: Barkley, Ewing, Malone ;Bottom row: Johnson, Jordan

Stockton and Malone shattered many NBA records while playing together. Stockton holds the NBA record for most career assists and steals, while Malone holds the records for most free throws attempted and made, as well as being second all-time on the NBA career scoring list, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Both he and Stockton were selected to be a part of the Dream Team, the legendary 1992 U.S. Olympic basketball team that was the first to feature professional NBA players. They are two-time Olympic Gold medalists, having won one in 1992 and another 1996 in Atlanta.
Both hold many records of longevity, having faced very few long term injuries in their careers and having played for 19 seasons each.
Between them, they hold almost every major statistical record for the Utah Jazz franchise.
Malone received the NBA Most Valuable Player Award twice while playing for the Jazz, in 1997 and 1999 seasons.
Voted in 1996 to the NBA's 50 Greatest Players list.
Voted to 11 All-NBA first teams, two second teams and one third team.
Voted an All-Star 14 times. MVP of the All-Star game in 1989 and co-MVP in 1993 with Stockton.
Voted to three NBA All-Defensive teams and one second team.
Malone was ranked #13 on Slam Magazine's Top 75 NBA Players of all time in 2003.
Played in 1476 games, averaging 37.2 minutes, 51% shooting from the floor, 74% from the free throw line, 25.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.41 steals per game.
His jersey number was retired by the Utah Jazz (#32) in Salt Lake City on March 23, 2006.
A bronze statue depicting Malone was dedicated on March 23, 2006 on the SE corner of the Delta Center, next to the one depicting John Stockton.

Notable games

Malone was named Most Valuable Player of the 1989 NBA All-Star Game, finishing the contest with 28 points and 9 rebounds.
On January 27, 1990, Malone scored a career-high 61 points against the Milwaukee Bucks. He made 21 of 26 field goals and 19 of 19 free throws. It was the most points scored by a Jazz player since the team moved to Utah from New Orleans.
Malone scored 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the 1993 NBA All-Star Game, sharing the game's MVP honors with teammate John Stockton.
Against the Golden State Warriors (on March 29, 1994), Malone set a career high with 23 rebounds (11 offensive, 12 defensive).
Malone posted his first career triple-double with 27 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Los Angeles Clippers on February 2, 1996.
On May 11, 1997, in a playoff game against the Lakers, Malone made 18 of 18 free throws, breaking the NBA record for most free throw attempts without a miss in a single playoff game. He finished with 42 points.
Malone scored 50 points and added 12 rebounds in a playoff game against the Seattle SuperSonics on April 22, 2000. The 50 points set a Jazz franchise playoff record.
On November 30, 2003, while playing with the Lakers, Malone became the oldest NBA player ever to post a triple-double (at age 40). He totaled 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in just 26 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs.
With his 30-point, 13-rebound performance April 25, 2004 at Houston, Karl Malone became the oldest player in playoff history to score 30-plus points in a game and only the second player over 40 to tally 30-plus points in a postseason contest, the other being Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Trivia

Malone was well-known for mumbling something incomprehensible before each free throw.
Malone's 1985 draft day suit as well as that of Charles Barkley are continuously mocked on sports TV shows to this day for their dreadful colors and designs.
Malone's daughter, Cheryl Ford, plays for the Detroit Shock in the WNBA, and was a key component of their WNBA Championship team in 2003.
The first time Malone went to Utah (in a high school game) he thought it was a European country.^{[[Citing sources citation needed]]}
Malone arrived in Salt Lake City to join the Jazz on July 24th, 1985. July 24th is Pioneer Day in Utah, but it also happens to be Malone's birthday. The Jazz placed Malone in one of the vehicles in the Parade and the people cheered him as he passed by. Malone later admitted that he thought all those people were out to celebrate his birthday.^{[[Citing sources citation needed]]}
Malone was critical of the NBA's decision to allow Magic Johnson to play despite having tested positive for HIV in 1991, though it was at a time where information about HIV was not well-known throughout the public. Malone later apologised and by 1996, when Johnson made his comeback, Malone stated that "things are different" and "we don't have a problem with that anymore".
He now lives in Choudrant, Louisiana and Newport Beach, California. While his family originally planned on staying in their massive estate in Salt Lake City while he played with the Lakers, they were so taken with Southern California that they relocated. ^{[[Citing sources citation needed]]}
Got in a feud with Kobe Bryant during the 2003-2004 season when Bryant's wife claimed that Malone made an offensive pass at her. Malone stated that the pass was simply a joke.

Other interests

Malone is a workout freak who was perhaps the first NBA player to have a body chiseled like that of a bodybuilder. He has a rigorous work-out routine in the offseason which includes running up and down "mountains". He has also made workout tapes.
Malone enjoys outdoors sports such as fishing and hunting and is also a staunch supporter of the National Rifle Association; he once referred to himself as an "African-American redneck." He was the spokesperson for an outdoors media company, AmazingOutdoors.com with Bryan Brandenburg.
He has considered running for governor of Arkansas on the Republican Party ticket.
He has become known for his unusual hobby of trucking in the offseason and is a licensed 18-wheeler driver. In regards to this, Malone said, "people ask me if they gave me the license just because I was Karl Malone, and I tell them 'no, I worked my butt off for this.'"
He also used to enjoy riding his custom built Harley-Davidson to games.
Malone wrestled a match for World Championship Wrestling on July 12, 1998 at Bash at the Beach. He teamed with Diamond Dallas Page and lost to Dennis Rodman & Hulk Hogan of the nWo.
Malone owns a chain of ice cream and barbeque parlors called Kill Devil's in Kill Devil Hills, NC and in Utah and then California when he played on the Lakers.
Malone sponsors a Live Nation-owned monster truck nicknamed "Power Forward," after his position.

External links

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