Moses Eugene Malone (born March 23, 1955 in
Petersburg, VirginiaPetersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of Richmond. The population was 33,740 as of the 2000 census. It is in Tri-Cities area of the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
) is a retired
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Hall of FameThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame honors exceptional basketball players, all-time great coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game.Named after basketball inventor Dr...
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of 5 players try to score points against one another by placing a ball through a
10 foot high hoop under organized rules...
player who starred in both the
American Basketball AssociationThe American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
and the
National Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is a professional basketball league, composed of thirty teams in North America . It is an active member of USA Basketball , which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation as the National Governing Body for basketball in the United States...
.
A three-time NBA MVP and one of the
NBA's 50 greatest playersThe 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History were chosen in 1996 to honor the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association...
, Malone was the most successful prep-to-pro player of his era, going straight from Petersburg High to a twenty-one year career in professional basketball.
By the time Malone retired after 19 seasons in the NBA he was the last former ABA player active and held numerous distinctions in both leagues, including a championship ring and NBA finals trophy won with the 1983
Philadelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association .-Syracuse Nationals:...
.
High school
Right after graduating from
Petersburg High SchoolPetersburg High School is located in Petersburg, Virginia.Petersburg High School is located on Johnson Road in Petersburg, Va. The new school combined the old Petersburg High School on Washington Street and the old Peabody High School on Wesley Street.Petersburg High School opened the current...
, Malone signed a letter of intent to play for the
University of MarylandThe University of Maryland, College Park is a public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Founded in 1856, the University of Maryland is the flagship institution of the University System of Maryland...
.
However, Malone was drafted by the ABA's
Utah StarsThe Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.-History:...
in 1974 and became the fifth basketball player to jump straight from high school into the professional leagues.
ABA career
Malone began his professional career with the Utah Stars. He later played for the ABA's
Spirits of St. LouisThe Spirits of St. Louis were one of two teams still in existence at the end of the American Basketball Association that did not survive the ABA-NBA merger. They were a member of the ABA in its last two seasons, 1974-75 and 1975-76, while playing their home games at the St...
. In two seasons in the ABA, Malone averaged 17.2 points and 12.9 rebounds per game. Malone's ABA career ended with the
ABA-NBA mergerThe ABA-NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
in June 1976, when Malone moved to the NBA.
Early years in the NBA
The
ABA-NBA mergerThe ABA-NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
occurred after the 1975–76 season, but the Spirits of St. Louis were one of the ABA teams that did not join the NBA. In the
ABA Dispersal DraftThe 1976 NBA Draft produced three Hall of Famers , plus current Los Angeles Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy, Sr....
held on August 5, the NBA’s
Portland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
selected Malone from the Spirits of St. Louis with the fifth overall pick.
The 21-year-old center never played a regular-season game for the Blazers, however. Prior to the first game of the 1976–77 season Portland traded him to the Buffalo Braves for a 1978 first-round draft choice. Even then, Malone’s travels weren’t over. After only two games with Buffalo he was traded by the Braves to the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets is 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...
for two future first-round draft choices.
Malone found a home in Houston, where he was reunited with Coach
Tom NissalkeTom Nissalke is an American former professional basketball coach in the NBA and American Basketball Association. He has coached several teams in both leagues, and has an overall coaching record of 371-508....
, who had coached him in his rookie season with the ABA’s Utah Stars. With the Rockets, Malone established himself immediately as one of the NBA’s most ferocious rebounders, particularly on the offensive end. He appeared in 82 games overall for both Buffalo and Houston and finished with averages of 13.2 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. He ranked third in the NBA in rebounding behind
Bill WaltonWilliam Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and current television sportscaster. The “Big Red-Head”, as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards...
and
Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is an American retired basketball player. During his 20-year professional career in the NBA, from 1969 to 1989, he scored the highest points total of any player in league history , in addition to winning a record six Most Valuable Player Awards and six NBA championships...
and established a new NBA record for offensive rebounds in a season, with 437, shattering
Paul Silas’sPaul Theron Silas is an American former professional basketball player and coach currently living in Lake Norman, North Carolina. He attended Creighton University, where he set an NCAA record for the most rebounds in three seasons and averaged 20.6 rebounds per game in 1963...
old mark of 365. (Malone would break his own record two years later.) Malone also ranked seventh in the league in blocked shots, with 2.21 per game.
He delivered in the playoffs, helping the Rockets to the Eastern Conference Finals, which they lost to the
Philadelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association .-Syracuse Nationals:...
in six games. Malone averaged 18.8 points and 16.9 rebounds in 12 playoff games. He set an NBA Playoff record with 15 offensive rebounds in an overtime victory against the Washington Bullets in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Malone’s second NBA season ended prematurely when he suffered a
stress fractureA stress fracture is one type of incomplete fracture in bones. It is caused by "unusual or repeated stress" This is in contrast to other types of fractures, which are usually characterized by a solitary, severe impact....
in his right foot and missed the Rockets’ final 23 games. Remarkably, he still led the NBA in total offensive rebounds (380) and finished second in rebounding average (15.0 rpg) behind
Leonard “Truck” RobinsonLeonard Eugene Robinson was a power forward for the Washington Bullets , Atlanta Hawks , New Orleans Jazz , Phoenix Suns , and New York Knicks ....
(15.7).
Malone made the first of what would be 12 consecutive All-Star Game appearances in 1978, the year that would have been his senior season had he chosen to play college basketball. His scoring output surged to 19.4 points per game, third best on the Rockets behind
Calvin Murphy'sCalvin Murphy is a retired American professional basketball player who played as a guard for the NBA's Houston Rockets from 1970-1983. He is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and a former member of the Rockets' broadcast team...
25.6 and
Rudy Tomjanovich'sRudolph Tomjanovich, Jr. , nicknamed Rudy T., is an American former basketball player and coach who led the Houston Rockets to two NBA Championships. He is currently a scout for the Los Angeles Lakers.-Early life:...
21.5.
MVP seasons with the Houston Rockets
Had Malone chosen to accept a scholarship at the
University of MarylandThe University of Maryland, College Park is a public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Founded in 1856, the University of Maryland is the flagship institution of the University System of Maryland...
, the 1978–79 season would have been his rookie campaign in the NBA. Instead, it was his fifth professional season (third with the Rockets) and one of the best of his career.
Beginning the year at only age 23, Malone went on to win the
NBA Most Valuable Player AwardThe National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1955–56 NBA season. The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is named in honor of the first commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement...
after averaging 24.8 points and a career-high 17.6 rebounds. Having gained 15 pounds in the offseason to weigh in at a robust 235, he led the league in rebounding and established the NBA’s all-time record for offensive rebounds in a season, with 587.
Malone also finished fifth in the NBA in scoring and shot a career-best .540 from the field. He was named to the All-NBA First Team and the NBA All-Defensive Second Team and started at center for the East squad in the 1979 NBA All-Star Game.
The 6-foot-10 giant notched the best single-game rebounding performance of his career when he hauled in 37 boards against the
New Orleans JazzThe Utah Jazz are a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on February 9. Houston advanced to the NBA Playoffs but was swept in two opening-round games by the
Atlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Hawks are coached by Mike Woodson, who is in his fifth season at the helm.-The first years:The...
. Malone totaled an impressive 49 points and 41 rebounds in the two games.
Malone continued to dominate the paint in his fourth NBA season. He averaged 25.8 points and 14.5 rebounds, ranking fifth in the league in scoring and second to
Swen NaterSwen Eric Nater is a retired Dutch professional basketball player, primarily in the ABA and NBA.-Basketball career:Nater helped John Wooden's UCLA Bruins win two NCAA titles....
(15.0 rpg) in rebounding. He made his third straight All-Star appearance—his second straight as a starter—and was named to the All-NBA Second Team at season’s end.
Malone’s indomitable spirit helped the Rockets defeat the
San Antonio SpursThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They play in the National Basketball Association ....
in a best-of-three first-round playoff series. He scored 37 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in the third and deciding game, leading Houston to a 141-120 victory. The Rockets were then swept by the
Boston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a professional basketball club based in Boston, Massachusetts, playing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team is owned by Wycliffe Grousbeck and coached by Doc Rivers, with Danny Ainge as the President of...
in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Malone returned to the top of the NBA’s rebounding charts, beginning a record string of five consecutive seasons leading the league. He grabbed 14.8 rebounds per game in 80 appearances, earning his second straight berth on the All-NBA Second Team.
An All-Star for the fourth consecutive season, Malone (27.8 ppg) also finished runner-up to
Adrian DantleyAdrian Delano Dantley is a retired American basketball player who played 15 seasons in the NBA, seven of which as a member of the Utah Jazz. He was a forward/guard...
(30.7) for the league’s scoring title. He exploded for 51 points in a March 11 game against the
Golden State WarriorsThe Golden State Warriors are a professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, hitting 20 of 28 field goals and 11 of 12 free throws. It was the third-highest single-game effort in Rockets history up to that time, behind Calvin Murphy’s 57 points and
Elvin Hayes’sElvin Ernest Hayes is a retired American basketball player. He is a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.-Early years:...
54.
Now in the Midwest Division, Houston finished tied with the
Kansas City KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. The Kings are members of the National Basketball Association .-Rochester:...
for second place with a 40-42 record. The Rockets, energized by Malone’s 26.8 points and 14.5 rebounds per game during the playoffs, advanced all the way to the
NBA FinalsThe 1981 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1980-81 NBA season, pitting the Boston Celtics against the Houston Rockets.-Background:...
. They lost in six games to the Boston Celtics, who were led by second-year forward
Larry BirdLarry Joe Bird is a retired American NBA basketball player. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, teaming with legendary center Robert Parish and forward Kevin McHale. Due to back problems, he retired...
.
Malone had another spectacular season, averaging 31.1 points and 14.7 rebounds and capturing his second of three NBA Most Valuable Player Awards. The perennial All-Star led the league in rebounding for a second straight season and finished runner-up to
George GervinGeorge "The Iceman" Gervin is a retired American professional basketball player; a shooting guard for the American Basketball Association's Virginia Squires and San Antonio Spurs and the National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls...
(32.3 ppg) for the league’s scoring title.
The ultimate workhorse, Malone led the NBA in minutes played (3,398, 42.0 per game) and offensive rebounds (558). At season’s end, he was named to the All-NBA First Team for the second time in his six-year career.
Malone’s stratospheric scoring average would stand as a career high, as would the 53 points he scored against the
San Diego ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the National Basketball Association and are members of the NBA Western Conference's Pacific Division. The club's home games are played at the Staples Center, which they share with the Los...
on February 2. He also broke his own NBA record with 21 offensive rebounds in a game against the
Seattle SuperSonicsThe Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
on February 11.
In Malone’s last season in Houston, the Rockets followed an NBA Finals appearance in 1981 with a first-round playoff exit in 1982. Despite 24.0 points and 17.0 rebounds per game from Malone, Houston lost to Seattle in three games.
Championship in Philadelphia
Malone became a restricted free agent after the 1981–82 season, and he signed an offer sheet with the Philadelphia 76ers on September 2. Houston then exercised its right of first refusal and matched the offer, only to trade Malone to the Sixers on September 15 for
Caldwell JonesCaldwell "Pops" Jones is an American former professional basketball player.Jones was drafted from Albany State University by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 14th pick in the 1973 NBA Draft...
and a 1983 first-round draft choice.
Philadelphia added the 1982 NBA Most Valuable Player to a mix that already included
Julius ErvingJulius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
,
Andrew ToneyAndrew Toney is an American former professional basketball player who played for the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers from 1980-1988...
,
Maurice CheeksMaurice Edward "Mo" Cheeks is a retired American professional basketball player. He was the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association, having been hired on May 23, 2005 and fired on Dec 13, 2008...
, and Bobby Jones. The result was an NBA Championship—and the second straight MVP Award for Malone (becoming the only NBA player ever to win the MVP award in consecutive seasons with two different teams, a feat only matched by
Barry BondsBarry Lamar Bonds is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds. He debuted in the Major Leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986 and joined the San Francisco Giants in 1993, where he stayed through 2007.Bonds has led a controversial...
(1992-93) in the four major sports).
Now in his seventh season of professional basketball (fifth in the NBA), Malone led the league in rebounding (15.3 rpg) for a third consecutive year. With Erving (21.4 ppg) and Toney (19.7) making strong scoring contributions, Malone’s average dipped to 24.5 points per game, still good enough for fifth in the NBA.
An All-Star for a sixth straight time, Malone made the All-NBA First Team and the NBA All-Defensive First Team at season’s end. The Sixers lost only one postseason contest en route to the league championship, concluding their title run with a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1983 NBA Finals. Malone averaged 26.0 points and 15.8 rebounds in 13 postseason games and was named Most Valuable Player of the Finals.
Said head coach
Billy CunninghamWilliam John "Billy" Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid.- Beginnings :...
, "The difference from last year was Moses" (the Lakers had beaten the Sixers in the 1982 NBA Finals). Before the playoffs began, reporters asked how the playoffs would run. Malone answered "four, four, four" — in other words, predicting that the Sixers would sweep all three rounds to win the title, with the minimum 12 games. Malone's deep voice made his boast sound like "fo', fo', fo'." However, the Sixers backed up Malone's boast, losing only one playoff game (game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals to the
Milwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They play in the National Basketball Association . The current franchise owner is Herb Kohl.- Early years :...
) en route to making Malone a world champion for the first time. This led some to rephrase Malone's prediction as "fo', fi', fo'" (four, five, four). The Sixers' 12-1 record in the playoffs became the second most dominant playoff run in NBA history (the 2001 Lakers went 15-1 in the extended four-round playoff format).
Post-championship
In the 1983-84 season Malone led the league in rebounding for a fourth straight season and fifth overall, finishing with 13.4 per game. Ankle injuries limited him to 71 games that season, his lowest number of appearances since 1977–78. Still, he posted a 22.7 scoring average in his second season with the Sixers and was named to the All-NBA Second Team at year’s end.
Malone was selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game for a seventh consecutive year but missed the game because of his aching ankle. He averaged 21.4 points and 13.8 rebounds in five postseason games, but Philadelphia suffered a first-round playoff upset at the hands of the New Jersey Nets.
When Malone finished the season with an average of 13.1 rebounds per game he became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding for five consecutive seasons.
Wilt ChamberlainWilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain , nicknamed Wilt the Stilt, The Big Dipper, and Chairman of the Boards, was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; and also played for the Harlem Globetrotters...
had held the previous record with two separate stretches of four straight titles in the 1960s.
An All-Star for the eighth time, Malone chalked up 24.6 points per game (ninth in the NBA) and earned his fourth selection to the All-NBA First Team. He finished third in the balloting for the league’s Most Valuable Player Award, won this season by Boston’s Larry Bird.
The nine-year NBA veteran scored his 15,000th NBA point on November 28 and grabbed his 10,000th NBA rebound on March 29. He exploded for 51 points against the
Detroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons is a team in the National Basketball Association based in the Detroit metropolitan area. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills.-From Fort Wayne to Detroit:...
on November 14.
Philadelphia advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1985 but lost to Boston in five games. Malone contributed 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game in the postseason.
Malone’s 10th NBA season and last with Philadelphia came to an abrupt end when on March 28 he suffered a fractured orbit of the right eye against the
Milwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They play in the National Basketball Association . The current franchise owner is Herb Kohl.- Early years :...
. He missed the Sixers’ last eight games and the entire postseason. Without him, Philadelphia lost to the Bucks in a seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinal series.
In 74 appearances Malone averaged 23.8 points and 11.8 rebounds. He ranked seventh in the NBA in scoring but surrendered the league’s rebounding crown for the first time in six seasons, finishing fourth behind the Detroit Pistons’ Bill Laimbeer (13.1 rpg), Philadelphia teammate Charles Barkley (12.8), and the New Jersey Nets’ Buck Williams (12.0).
Malone was an All-Star for the ninth straight season but failed to make an All-NBA Team for the first time since 1978.
Latter years
Shortly after the 1985–86 season Philadelphia had traded Malone, along with
Terry CatledgeTerry DeWayne Catledge is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'8" forward from the University of South Alabama, spent eight seasons in the NBA as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Bullets, and Orlando Magic...
and two first-round draft choices, to the Washington Bullets for
Jeff RulandJeffrey Alan Ruland is a retired American basketball player and current coach. He is the former head coach of the Iona Gaels men's college basketball team and current head coach of the UDC Firebirds men's college basketball team.-Early life and collegiate career:A 6'11", 280 lb center, Ruland went...
and
Cliff RobinsonClifford Trent Robinson is a retired American professional basketball player.-Professional career:His career in the National Basketball Association spanned from 1979 to 1991....
.
The 11-year veteran bounced back from an injury-shortened 1985–86 campaign to average 24.1 points and 11.3 rebounds and reclaim a spot on the All-NBA Second Team. An All-Star for the 10th consecutive season, he was the only NBA player to rank among the league’s top 10 in both scoring and rebounding, placing ninth in each category.
Malone scored his 20,000th NBA point on April 12 against the Detroit Pistons. He exploded for 50 points versus the
New Jersey NetsThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association that plays in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They are currently based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and play their home games at the Izod Center...
on April 8, joining
Earl MonroeVernon Earl Monroe is an American former professional basketball player known for his flamboyant dribbling, passing, and play-making. His nicknames include "Earl The Pearl," "Black Magic," and his Philadelphia playground nickname, "Black Jesus."-Early years:From an early age, Monroe was a...
(56) and
Phil ChenierPhilip Chenier was a professional basketball player. He is presentlya television sports broadcaster for the NBA's Washington Wizards.-NBA Playing career:...
(52) as the only Bullets players ever to score 50 points in a game.
Washington made a brief appearance in the postseason, losing to the Pistons in a first-round sweep. Malone averaged 20.7 points and 12.7 rebounds in three playoff games.
Malone kept plugging away in his 12th NBA season and second with Washington. He averaged 20.3 points and 11.2 rebounds, ranking fourth in the league in rebounding and 19th in scoring. He earned his 11th consecutive All-Star selection and was one of only four players to rank in the top 20 in scoring and the top 10 in rebounding.
Malone scored in double figures in 76 of 79 games and recorded 55 double-doubles for the year. He helped the Bullets to the 1988 NBA Playoffs, where they lost to the Detroit Pistons in a five-game first-round series. Malone contributed 18.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per game in five postseason appearances.
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks signed Malone as a free agent prior to the 1988–89 season, and he went on to have another All-Star campaign. Teaming with
Dominique WilkinsJacques Dominique Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player. He is best remembered for his stint with the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. A nine time NBA All-Star, "'Nique" is one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history...
in the Hawks’ frontcourt, Malone averaged 20.2 points and 11.8 rebounds. He was selected to start for the East squad in his 12th straight NBA All-Star Game.
The 13-year veteran scored in double figures in 75 of his 81 appearances and rebounded in double figures 55 times. He poured in a season-high 37 points against the Phoenix Suns on February 4.
After nearly toppling the Boston Celtics the year before in a thrilling Eastern Conference Semifinal series, Atlanta didn’t make it out of the first round in 1989. The Hawks lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in five games, despite 21.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game from their veteran center.
In his second season with Atlanta, Malone failed to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds for the first time since his second NBA season. He finished at 18.9 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game, snapping a string of 11 straight 20-10 campaigns.
The 14-year veteran led the NBA in offensive rebounds, with 364, and tied for eighth in rebounding average. He led the Hawks in scoring 20 times and in rebounding 41 times.
In
Mike Fratello’sMichael Robert "Mike" Fratello is an American professional basketball coach also known as "The Czar of the Telestrator" because of his mastery of the telestrator...
final year as head coach, Atlanta struggled to a 41-41 record and missed the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.
Malone started at center for the first 15 games of the 1990–91 season, but then Atlanta’s new coach,
Bob WeissRobert William Weiss is a retired American professional basketball player and head coach in the NBA. He is currently coaching Shanxi Zhongyu in the Chinese Basketball Association....
, moved him to the bench and made him Jon Koncak’s backup for the final 67 contests. Although he was the only Hawk to appear in all 82 games, Malone failed to play 2,000 minutes in a season (1,912) for the first time in his 15-year NBA career.
Malone averaged 10.6 points and 8.1 rebounds in 23.3 minutes per game—all career lows up to that point. He nevertheless continued to etch his name in the NBA record books. With career free throw No. 7,695 against the
Indiana PacersI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
on November 3, he became the NBA’s all-time leader in free throws made, surpassing
Oscar RobertsonOscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O" or O-Train, is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
. He also scored his 25,000th career point on November 21 versus the Milwaukee Bucks and grabbed his 15,000th rebound against the
Dallas MavericksThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas, USA. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association ....
on March 15. Malone broke Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 1,045 consecutive games without fouling out when he reached No. 1,046 in a game against the Detroit Pistons on March 19.
Atlanta returned to the playoffs but fell to the Pistons in a five-game first-round series. Malone contributed only 4.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in the postseason.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks had signed Malone as a free agent shortly after the 1990–91 season and had immediately made him their starting center. The 16-year veteran responded with a resurgent campaign, playing in all 82 games and averaging 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds.
He ranked second on the Bucks in scoring and first in rebounding, leading the team in boards in 54 of 82 games. He scored a season-high 30 points twice and grabbed 19 rebounds against the Seattle SuperSonics on March 27.
Milwaukee, about to begin a rebuilding process, finished 31-51 and tied with the Charlotte Hornets for last place in the Central Division.
Malone missed most of the 1992–93 season while recovering from back surgery. He finally returned to active duty on March 27 and made 11 appearances for Milwaukee. He played only 104 total minutes and averaged 4.5 points and 4.4 rebounds. On April 12 he registered season highs of 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 18 minutes in a game against the
Miami HeatThe Miami Heat are a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena...
.
Milwaukee continued to struggle while developing young talent. The Bucks finished 28-54 and last in the Central Division.
Many thought Malone would retire after an injury-plagued 1992–93 campaign, but the Philadelphia 76ers convinced him to play another season—his 18th in the NBA and his 20th in professional basketball. Indeed, Malone was the only remaining active player who had played in the ABA.
The Sixers signed him as a free agent in August, primarily to have him tutor 7-foot-6 rookie
Shawn BradleyShawn Paul Bradley is a retired American and German basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks...
. Malone and Assistant Coach Jeff Ruland worked with Bradley throughout the year and helped him to improve noticeably, before a dislocated left kneecap and a chipped bone in his knee shelved Bradley for the rest of the season.
For his part, Malone appeared in 55 games off the bench and averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds. At season’s end, he ranked third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list (27,360 points), third in games played (1,312), fifth in rebounds (16,166), first in offensive rebounds (6,711), first in free throws made (8,509), second in free throws attempted (11,058), and first in consecutive games played without a disqualification (1,195).
San Antonio Spurs
In 1994, he was sent to the Spurs, where he played the back-up center role behind superstar
David RobinsonDavid Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". Robinson and teammate power forward Tim Duncan,...
. 1994-95 was his last season in the NBA. During the final game of his NBA career in a game against the Charlotte Hornets, he hit a buzzer-beating three-point shot from the opposing free throw line, eighty feet away from the goal. It was only the eighth three-pointer of his career. He played just 17 games for the Spurs, all in November and December 1994.
Career accomplishments
Malone:
- was named one of the NBA's 50 greatest players
The 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History were chosen in 1996 to honor the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association...
in 1997.
- was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame honors exceptional basketball players, all-time great coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game.Named after basketball inventor Dr...
in 2001.
- played more seasons (21) in the NBA/ABA than any other player.
- was both the NBA Most Valuable Player and Sporting News MVP in 1979, 1982 and 1983.
- is the only player in NBA history to average 20 points and 10 rebounds on four different teams. Three others have done it three times, Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain , nicknamed Wilt the Stilt, The Big Dipper, and Chairman of the Boards, was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; and also played for the Harlem Globetrotters...
, Shaquille O'NealShaquille Rashaun O'Neal , frequently referred to simply as "Shaq", is an American professional basketball player, rapper, and actor. He is widely perceived as one of the most dominant players in the history of the NBA. Standing at 7 feet 1 inch, 325 pounds, he is one of the largest players to...
, and George McGinnisGeorge F. McGinnis is a retired American professional basketball player, most notably with the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association . He was drafted into the ABA from Indiana University in 1972...
, McGinnis accomplishing the feat a fourth season while playing in the American Basketball AssociationThe American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
before joining the NBA
- became the first player in NBA history to earn five consecutive rebounding titles (1980-1984).
- did not foul out during his final 1,212 games, the longest streak without a disqualification.
- has the highest number of offensive rebounds (6,731) since the NBA started tracking offensive and defensive rebounds separately in 1973-74
- is second only to Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone is a retired American professional basketball player.Born in Summerfield, Louisiana, he was nicknamed in college as the Mailman for his consistency and his work in the post. Malone twice won the National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player award...
in overall (NBA and ABA) free throws made, with 9,018
- is second behind Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone is a retired American professional basketball player.Born in Summerfield, Louisiana, he was nicknamed in college as the Mailman for his consistency and his work in the post. Malone twice won the National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player award...
in overall (NBA and ABA) free throws attempted, with 11,864
- is eighth all time in games played (1,329)
- is tenth in minutes played (45,071)
- is 13th in NBA field goal attempts (19,225)
Lifetime statistics
- Games: 1,329
- Points: 27,409
- PPG: 20.6
- RPG: 12.2
- APG: 1.4
- BLK: 1,733
- FG%: .491
- FT%: .769
Other accomplishments
Malone:
- helped his high school team to win 50 games in a row, and achieve a number of state championships.
- is one of two players traded after an MVP season, joining Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain , nicknamed Wilt the Stilt, The Big Dipper, and Chairman of the Boards, was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; and also played for the Harlem Globetrotters...
atop the short list
- has had his number retired by two teams: #24 with the Houston Rockets, and #2 (unofficially) with the Philadelphia 76ers. Though the 76ers have not yet had a ceremony retiring Malone's #2 it is no longer issued.
- had such a long career he played with Rick Barry
Richard Francis Dennis Barry III is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision, knowledge and execution of...
(Houston in 1979 and 1980) and Rick's son JonJon Alan Barry is a retired American professional basketball player and current television analyst for ABC and ESPN.-Biography:...
(Milwaukee in 1992 and 1993).
- tutored Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led to Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995...
during off-season pickup games while Olajuwon was still a collegian, helping the young center make huge strides in his abilities
- was known for wearing thick goggles
Goggles or safety glasses are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the area surrounding the eye in order to prevent particulates, water or chemicals from striking the eyes. They are used in chemistry laboratories and in woodworking. They are often used in snow sports as...
during games in the latter years of his basketball career following an eye injury
- wore several different jersey numbers in his career, including #2 with the Sixers, Hawks, and Spurs, #4 with the Bullets, #8 with the Bucks, #13 with the Spirits, #22 with the Stars, #20 in his two games with Buffalo Braves and #21 and #24 with the Rockets.
- is the father of Michael Malone
Michael Malone is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Sam Houston State....
, signed by the NFL Miami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a professional football team based in the Miami, Florida metropolitan area. They play home games at Land Shark Stadium, in the suburb of Miami Gardens. They are headquartered at the Miami Dolphins Training Facility in Davie, Florida. The Dolphins belong to the Eastern...
in 2007
External links