Karl Anthony Malone (born July 24, 1963) is an American former professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player in the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
(NBA). Nicknamed "the Mailman", he is considered one of the greatest
power forwards
Power most often refers to:
* Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work"
** Engine power, the power put out by an engine
** Electric power
* Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events
** Abusive power
Power may ...
in NBA history.
Malone spent his first 18 seasons (1985–2003) in the NBA with the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...
and formed a formidable duo with his teammate
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player. Regarded as one of the greatest point guards, players and passers of all time, he spent his entire NBA career (1984–2003) with the Utah Jazz, a ...
. He was a two-time
NBA Most Valuable Player, a 14-time
NBA All-Star
The National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game. It is the main event of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Originally, the All-Star Game featured a conference-based format, featuring a team composed of al ...
, and an 11-time member of the
All-NBA first team. His 36,928 career points scored rank third
all-time in NBA history behind
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem (alternatively spelled Karim or Kerim) ( ar, کریم) is a common given name and surname of Arabic origin that means "generous", "noble", "honorable". It is also one of the Names of God in Islam in the Quran.
Given name Karim
* Karim A ...
and
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest pl ...
, and he holds the
records for most free throws attempted and made, in addition to being tied for the second-most first-team All-NBA selections with
Kobe Bryant and behind LeBron James.
Malone played
college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
at
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana Tech, La. Tech, or simply Tech) is a public research university in Ruston, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activ ...
. In his three seasons with Louisiana Tech, he helped the
Bulldogs basketball team to its first-ever
NCAA tournament in 1984 and to first place in the
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it pa ...
in 1985. The Utah Jazz selected him in the first round of the
1985 NBA draft with the 13th overall pick. Malone appeared in the playoffs every season in his career, including the
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...
in
1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
and
1998 with the Jazz. He played his final season with the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
, with whom he played his third Finals in
2004. Malone also competed with the
United States national team in the
Summer Olympic Games of 1992 and
1996; in both years he won gold medals. In 1996, as part of the NBA's 50th Anniversary, Malone was honored as one of the 50 greatest players of all time by being named to the
NBA 50th Anniversary Team
The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the third anniversary team ...
. In October 2021, Malone was again honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the
NBA 75th Anniversary Team
The NBA 75th Anniversary Team, also referred to as the NBA 75, was chosen in 2021 to honor the 75th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the fourth and most recent anniversary team in the league. S ...
.
After retiring from the NBA, Malone joined the staff of the
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball program, nicknamed the Dunkin' Dogs, represents intercollegiate men's basketball at Louisiana Tech University. The program competes in Conference USA in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Ass ...
team in 2007 and was inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...
in 2010 twice – for his individual career, and as a member of the
1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team.
Early life and college
Born in
Summerfield, Louisiana
Summerfield is an unincorporated community in northeast Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is located sixteen miles east of the parish seat of Homer.
History
Summerfield was founded in 1868 by W. R. Kennedy.
The community has a Bapt ...
,
Malone was the youngest of nine children and during his childhood lived on a farm with his single mother, Shirley. His father, Shedrick Hay, was raising a family with another woman he married and committed suicide when Karl Malone was 3; Malone first disclosed that suicide in 1994. As a child, Malone often worked at the farm and chopped trees, hunted, and fished. He attended Summerfield High School and led his basketball team to three consecutive Louisiana Class C titles from 1979 to his senior season in 1981.
Although recruited by
University of Arkansas basketball coach
Eddie Sutton
Edward Eugene Sutton (March 12, 1936 – May 23, 2020) was an American college basketball coach. A native of Bucklin, Kansas, Sutton played college basketball at Oklahoma A&M (later Oklahoma State) and was a head coach at the high school, junio ...
, Malone enrolled at
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana Tech, La. Tech, or simply Tech) is a public research university in Ruston, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activ ...
, which was closer to home. He joined the
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball program, nicknamed the Dunkin' Dogs, represents intercollegiate men's basketball at Louisiana Tech University. The program competes in Conference USA in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Ass ...
team in his second year because his grades were too low for freshman eligibility; Malone played under coach
Andy Russo
Andy Russo (born May 26, 1948) was a college basketball coach at Louisiana Tech and at Washington. He compiled a 60–61 record through four seasons at Washington, and resigned at the end of the 1988-89 season after he led the Huskies to a pair of ...
.
In his second season with Louisiana Tech (1983–84), Malone averaged 18.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
Louisiana Tech finished the 1984–85 season 29–3, at the top of the
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it pa ...
, and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history; the team finished at the
Sweet 16 round. In each of his three seasons with the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, Malone was an All-Southland selection.
NBA career
Utah Jazz (1985–2003)
Early years (1985–1987)
In the
1985 NBA draft, the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...
selected Karl Malone with the 13th overall pick. According to Malone's official NBA biography: "If professional scouts had correctly predicted the impact Karl Malone would have on the NBA, Malone would have been picked much higher than 13th in the 1985 NBA Draft."
In fact, Malone was so convinced the
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conferenc ...
were going to select him with the eighth choice that he had already rented an apartment in
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
. Instead, the Mavericks selected
Detlef Schrempf
Detlef Schrempf (born January 21, 1963) is a German-American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Washington Huskies from 1981 to 1985, and was drafted into the National Basketball Association (NBA) by the ...
. Under head coach
Frank Layden
Francis Layden (born January 5, 1932) is an American former basketball coach and executive of the National Basketball Association's Utah Jazz as well as former head coach of the Women's National Basketball Association's Utah Starzz.
Coaching car ...
, Malone averaged 14.9 points and 8.9 rebounds in his first season and made the 1986
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for player ...
after coming in third for
Rookie of the Year votes.
On January 14, 1986, the Jazz beat the
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
105–102 to snap the Rockets' 20-game winning streak at home. Malone scored 29 points in that game, including four free throws followed by a three-pointer by
Pace Mannion
Pace Shewan Mannion (born September 22, 1960) is an American retired professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and in the Italian league with the team of Cantù (which won the FIBA Korać Cup in 1991 de ...
to rally from a 96–89 deficit with 5 minutes and 36 seconds remaining to a 96–96 tie. For the third consecutive season, the Jazz made the postseason but lost the first round of the
1986 playoffs to the Dallas Mavericks. In the four playoff games, Malone improved in his scoring with a 20 points per game average but was still subpar in shooting (49.6% field goals) and rebounds (8.9). After his second season, Malone became the Jazz's leader in average scoring (21.7 points) and rebounding (10.4 rebounds); in 24 of 29 games between February 1 and April 3, 1987, he was the leading scorer of the game.
All-Star and team offense leader (1987–1996)
By the
1987–88 season, Malone was the foundation of the offense and
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player. Regarded as one of the greatest point guards, players and passers of all time, he spent his entire NBA career (1984–2003) with the Utah Jazz, a ...
was the floor general. Malone made his first All-Star Game in 1988 on the strength of 27.1 points per game, and made his first All-NBA team at the end of the season. This was the first of 14 consecutive All-Star appearances for Malone.
In the
1988 NBA All-Star Game, Malone led the Western Conference All-Star team with 22 points.
The Jazz finished 47–35, third place in the Midwest Division, and defeated the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
in the first round. In the next round, the defending champions
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
, led by perennial All-Stars
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in the ...
,
James Worthy
James Ager Worthy (born February 27, 1961) is an American sports commentator, television host, analyst, and former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Big Game James", he played his entire professional career with the Los Angeles Lakers ...
, and
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem (alternatively spelled Karim or Kerim) ( ar, کریم) is a common given name and surname of Arabic origin that means "generous", "noble", "honorable". It is also one of the Names of God in Islam in the Quran.
Given name Karim
* Karim A ...
, defeated the Jazz in seven games. In the seventh game of the series, Malone scored 31 points and had 15 rebounds, but the Lakers beat the Jazz 109–98 and eventually won the
1988 NBA Finals
The 1988 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1987–88 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference ...
. In 11 playoff games in 1988, Malone averaged 29.7 points and 11.8 rebounds.
![Karl Malone 1988-89](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Karl_Malone_1988-89.jpg)
Malone signed a 10-year contract during the 1988 offseason worth $18 million.
In December 1988,
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene Sloan (March 28, 1942 – May 22, 2020) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before beginning a 30-year coaching career, 23 of which were spent ...
succeeded Layden as head coach as Layden became team president. Malone averaged 29.1 points in , good for second in the NBA behind
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
, and 10.7 rebounds, which was fifth in the league. This scoring average was Malone's highest so far in his career. At the
1989 NBA All-Star Game, Malone finished with 28 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists en route to his first
NBA All-Star MVP. The Jazz finished 51–31, but were swept in three games in the first round by the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
. This season marked Malone's first with the
All-NBA First Team
The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The team has been sel ...
honor.
During the , Malone increased his scoring to 31 points and his rebounding to 11.1 a game and again was selected to the All-NBA First Team.
In the first game of the season, Malone recorded 40 points, 16 rebounds and 5 assists in a 122–113 win over the Denver Nuggets. On December 5, 1989, Malone scored 21 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in a 94–80 win over the home team, Cleveland Cavaliers. Seventeen days later, Malone recorded 52 points and 17 rebounds in a 114-100 road win over the Charlotte Hornets. On January 27, 1990, Malone scored a career-high 61 points in a 144–96 victory against the
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...
. He made 21 of 26
field goals
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
and 19 of 23 free throws.
It was the most points scored by a Jazz player since the team moved to Utah from New Orleans. Although Malone was voted to the NBA All-Star Game for the third consecutive season, because of an ankle injury he sat out the game. He led the team in scoring in 24 of the last 26 games of the season; on March 29, 1990, against the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
, Malone scored 49 points, and on April 12 against the
Lakers he scored 45. The Jazz, finishing the season 55–27, lost to the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
within five games in the first round of the
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
, in which Malone averaged 25.2 points and 10.2 rebounds. For the second straight season, Malone finished second in the league in points per game behind Michael Jordan.
From January 19 to March 4, 1991, Malone led the Jazz in scoring for 19 straight games; after starting the season 7–8 the team went 21–9 in January and February 1991. Malone scored 16 points and took 11 rebounds in the
1991 NBA All-Star Game, his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance for the West, and averaged 29.0 points and 11.8 rebounds each regular-season game. He was among four Jazz players with double-figure scoring averages, the others being the newly acquired
Jeff Malone
Jeffrey Nigel Malone (born June 28, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Mississippi State Bulldogs basketball, Mississippi State, and is mostly known for his time with the Washington Bullet ...
(no relation) as well as John Stockton and
Thurl Bailey Thurl is a given name. Notable people with the name include:
* Thurl Bailey (born 1961), American basketball player
* Thurl Ravenscroft
Thurl Arthur Ravenscroft (; February 6, 1914May 22, 2005) was an American actor and bass singer. He was kn ...
. In four games, the Jazz eliminated the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
in the first round of the
1991 playoffs but lost to the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
in the second round. Malone made the All-NBA First Team for the third consecutive season.
As he had done in 1989–90, Malone finished the 1991–92 season second in the league in scoring, averaging 28.0 points per game. He made the All-NBA First Team for the fourth straight year.
It was also a breakout season for the Jazz; during the
1992 NBA Playoffs, the team made the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.
Malone scored 40 or more points in five games this season.
Despite his continued success and achievements, Malone encountered trouble for committing a
flagrant foul
In basketball, a flagrant foul is a personal foul that involves excessive or violent contact that could injure the fouled player. A flagrant foul may be unintentional or purposeful; the latter type is also called an "intentional foul" in the Nati ...
. On December 14, 1991, when the Jazz played against the
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Li ...
, Malone elbowed the Pistons'
Isiah Thomas on the forehead. Thomas needed 40 stitches over his eye, and the NBA suspended Malone for the next game without pay and fined him $10,000. In its first-ever franchise Western Conference Finals appearance, in six games the Jazz lost in the playoffs for the second straight season to the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
. Malone averaged 29.1 points on 52.1% shooting and 11.9 rebounds in the 1992 playoffs.
Throughout the 1990s, Malone put up stellar numbers: in , he averaged 27.0 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, 25.2 points and 11.5 rebounds in , 26.7 points and 10.6 rebounds in , and 25.7 points and 9.8 rebounds in .
Following the
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1992, ca, Jocs Olímpics d'estiu de 1992), officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad ( es, Juegos de la XXV Olimpiada, ca, Jocs de la XXV Olimpíada) and commonly known as ...
in which Malone helped the
American national team, dubbed the "Dream Team", win a gold medal, Malone expressed opposition to
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in the ...
, who had recently tested positive for
HIV
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...
and retired from the NBA in 1991, making a comeback to the league. Malone's point of view diverged from the support for Johnson from his Olympic and
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
teammates, and the NBA implemented
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
-related precautions after Johnson's revelation. On February 4, 1993, in a game against the Lakers, Malone surpassed 16,000 career points. He and his teammate John Stockton shared the
All-Star MVP award in
1993. In the West's 135–132 overtime win, Malone scored 28 points and pulled in 10 rebounds.
Malone started all 82 games of 1993–94 and helped the Jazz make the Western Conference Finals for the second time in franchise history and his career. In his ninth season, Malone led the Jazz in scoring (25.2), rebounding (11.5), and blocked shots (126), made 49.7% of field goal attempts, and played 3,329 minutes, the second-most that season in the league behind
Latrell Sprewell
Latrell Fontaine Sprewell (born September 8, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks, and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Du ...
's 3,533.
On March 29, 1994, Malone recorded a career-high 23 rebounds, but the Jazz lost to the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
116–113. However, Malone made only 8 of 29 field goals that night and commented post-game: "My rebounds are not going to be tomorrow's headline...Tomorrow's headline is going to be all those easy shots I missed." The eventual
NBA champion
The National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals is the championship series for the NBA held at the conclusion of its postseason. All Finals have been played in a best-of-seven format, and are contested between the winners of the Eastern Con ...
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
eliminated the Jazz from the Western Conference Finals in five games.
Although Malone scored 32 points in the Jazz' 104–99 Game 2 loss, along with Stockton's 18, they and the Jazz were no match for the Rockets with high-scoring center
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (; ; born January 21, 1963), nicknamed "the Dream", is a Nigerian Americans, Nigerian-American former professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Ass ...
. Midway into the fourth quarter, Malone and Olajuwon scored on four consecutive possessions by their teams, leading up to a 93–93 tie.
For the first time in team history, in 1994–95, the Utah Jazz won 60 games. In addition, the team won 15 consecutive away games (the best such streak by the team, then the second-best streak in the league). Malone's 26.7 points per game ranked fourth in the NBA, and Malone became the 19th NBA player to reach 20,000 career points on January 20, 1995. In the
1995 playoffs, the Jazz lost to the
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
for the second consecutive year, this time in the first round.
The Rockets became
NBA champions for the second straight season.
On January 13, 1996, Malone renewed his contract with the Jazz.
The Jazz only made it as far as the Western Conference Finals in this period, losing to the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
(1992), the
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
(1994) and the
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly known as the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Western Confe ...
(1996).
Western Conference championship years (1996–1998)
![Lipofsky-Karl-Malone-32727](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Lipofsky-Karl-Malone-32727.jpg)
Malone returned from a
gold medal winning-effort at the 1996 Summer Olympics leading the Jazz to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances. During the 1996–97 season, Malone put up a resurgent 27.4 points per game while leading the Jazz to a 64–18 record, the most regular-season wins in team history. Malone won his first
NBA Most Valuable Player award, and the Jazz were the top team in the
Western Conference and the playoff champions in that conference.
After sweeping the
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...
and defeating the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
, the Jazz took on the
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
, led by the aging trio of
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (; ; born January 21, 1963), nicknamed "the Dream", is a Nigerian Americans, Nigerian-American former professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Ass ...
,
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player who is a television analyst on NBA on TNT, TNT. Nicknamed "Sir Charles", "Chuck", and "the Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley played 16 seasons ...
, and
Clyde Drexler
Clyde Austin Drexler (born June 22, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player and the commissioner of the Big3 3-on-3 basketball league. Nicknamed "Clyde the Glide", he played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association ...
. The Jazz beat them in six games (the last victory coming on a last-second shot by Stockton). Malone finally reached the NBA Finals in
1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
, where they played the
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
-led
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January 1 ...
. In a matchup of the two previous MVPs, the Bulls won the first two games at the
United Center
United Center is an indoor arena on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is home to the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). It is named ...
. Malone struggled from the field, going 6 of 20 for 20 points in Game 2. However, the Jazz won the next two games at the
Delta Center
Vivint Arena (stylized as vivint arena), formerly known as Delta Center, EnergySolutions Arena and Vivint Smart Home Arena, is an indoor arena located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The arena serves as the home venue for the National Basketball Ass ...
behind Malone's 37 points in Game 3 and 23 in Game 4, including a game-winning fastbreak lay-up off a spectacular assist by Stockton in the last minute. The Bulls won the next two games and the series, with Malone struggling from the foul line in Game 6.
The next season saw the Jazz once again dominate. Malone put up 27 points per game and just missed out on his second MVP award, losing to Jordan. Nevertheless, the Jazz posted a 62–20 record, which was the best in the NBA. The Jazz once again were seated at the top of the Western Conference, and in the 1998 playoffs they defeated the
Rockets
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entirely ...
,
Spurs, and
Lakers via a sweep en route to their second consecutive
Finals
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event
** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
appearance. The rematch with the
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January 1 ...
would start differently, as Malone put up 21 points and the Jazz won Game 1, 88–85. Malone found himself unable to put up consistently high numbers, due in large part to the swarming defense of defenders
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. Known for his fierce defensive and rebounding abilities, his biography on the official NBA website states that he is "arguably the best rebounding ...
and
Scottie Pippen
Scotty Maurice Pippen Sr. (born September 25, 1965), usually spelled Scottie Pippen, is an American former professional basketball player. He played 17 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning six NBA championships with the ...
. In Game 5 of the 1998 Finals, Malone led the Jazz in scoring with 39 points, and the Jazz beat the Bulls 83–81 in Chicago. Malone scored his 39 points on 17-for-27 shooting and also made 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 turnover. Many of his shots were "mid-range turnaround jumpers from the left side".
A
sixth game of the Finals was held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, and by trailing the series 3–2 the team was one loss away from losing the series. Malone scored 31 points and made 11 rebounds. Although the Jazz held leads of 49–45 by halftime and 66–61 after the third quarter, the team squandered their lead in the fourth and would lose after Malone lost a pass in the
post
Post or POST commonly refers to:
*Mail, the postal system, especially in Commonwealth of Nations countries
**An Post, the Irish national postal service
**Canada Post, Canadian postal service
**Deutsche Post, German postal service
**Iraqi Post, Ira ...
. With 18.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Jazz leading 86–85, Bulls guard/forward
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
stole the ball just passed to Malone and with 5.2 seconds left made a jump shot that gave the Bulls an 87–86 lead.
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player. Regarded as one of the greatest point guards, players and passers of all time, he spent his entire NBA career (1984–2003) with the Utah Jazz, a ...
missed a game-winning jump shot. Jordan's shot has been dubbed the "greatest shot" of his career, and the Bulls' 1998 title was their third consecutive championship and sixth since 1991.
Later seasons with Jazz (1998–2003)
On November 12, 1998, during the
lockout that shortened the 1998–99 season, Malone declared on his Los Angeles-based radio show that he would demand a trade from the Jazz after the end of the lockout, citing a lack of respect from the team owner
Larry H. Miller and the Utah media, which he dubbed "goons". A week later, Malone backed off on his trade demands, stating in an interview that he would still love to play for the Jazz with "everything else being equal". The NBA regular season resumed in February and Malone won his second MVP award, with the Jazz going 37–13 during the 50-game regular season. They lost in the second round that year to the
Trail Blazers, and for the next several years the Jazz fell out of title contention. The Jazz won Game 5 of the second-round
1999 round against the Blazers 88–71 to force a sixth game, and Malone scored 23 points. In that game, Malone elbowed the Blazers'
Brian Grant
Brian Wade Grant (born March 5, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. He played the power forward and center positions for five teams during 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association. He was known for his tenacious ...
, something he also did in Game 1 and for which he was fined $10,000. Despite the decline of his team and his advancing age, Malone averaged 25.5, 23.2, 22.4, and 20.6 points per game in his last four seasons with Utah. In the 2002–2003 season, Malone passed
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman Chamberlain (; August 21, 1936 – October 12, 1999) was an American professional basketball player who played as a Center (basketball), center. Standing at tall, he played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 yea ...
for second on the all-time scoring list with 36,374 points. He became a free agent in 2003, the year Stockton had retired. For the time Malone and
point guard
The point guard (PG), also called the one or the point, is one of the five Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position. Point guards are expected to run t ...
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player. Regarded as one of the greatest point guards, players and passers of all time, he spent his entire NBA career (1984–2003) with the Utah Jazz, a ...
played together on the Jazz (1984–2003), the two formed one of the most productive guard–forward combinations in NBA history. Playing coach
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene Sloan (March 28, 1942 – May 22, 2020) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before beginning a 30-year coaching career, 23 of which were spent ...
's scrappy and tough style and perfecting the
pick and roll
The pick and roll (also called a ball screen or screen and roll) in basketball is an offensive play in which a player sets a screen (pick) for a teammate handling the ball and then moves toward the basket (rolls) to receive a pass. In the NBA, ...
to a maximum degree of efficiency, the Jazz regularly made the playoffs with a winning record. Malone led the Jazz to multiple 50-win seasons with the exception of
1992–93 (47–35).
Los Angeles Lakers (2003–2004)
Malone played in the NBA for one more season, joining the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
in an attempt to win a championship. All-Star point guard
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton Sr. (born July 23, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who played the point guard position. Widely considered one of the greatest point guards of all time, he is best known for his 13-year tenure with ...
also joined the Lakers in an attempt to win his first NBA championship, and with Malone, Payton,
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greates ...
and
Kobe Bryant, the Lakers were favorites to win the title. The Lakers rolled out to a dominant 18–3 start to the season, but on December 21, Malone suffered a knee injury against the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
that forced him to miss 39 games. Malone returned by the season's end, as the Lakers entered the playoffs with 56 wins and the number 2 seed in the playoffs. In the first round against the
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
, Malone posted double-figure scoring in 4 games, including a 30-point and 13-rebound effort in the Lakers' game 4 victory. The Lakers advanced to face the
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home ...
in the conference semifinals, where Malone played a critical role on defense against
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore Duncan (born April 25, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "the Big Fundamental", he is widely regarded as the greatest power forward of all time and one of the greatest players in NBA histor ...
, despite not scoring more than 13 points in any game during the series. The Lakers defeated the Spurs in 6 games in the conference semifinals before defeating the
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
in 6 games in the conference finals to advance to the NBA Finals. He scored 17 points on two occasions against Minnesota and averaged 11.5 points and 8.8 rebounds a game in the playoffs.
The 40-year-old Malone's quest to win an NBA championship failed as the Lakers were defeated in five games by the
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Li ...
in the
2004 NBA Finals. Malone sprained his right knee in game three and played injured in games three and four before missing the fifth and final game of the series.
Retirement
After his season with the Lakers, Malone became a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
. He had knee surgery during the summer of 2004, and personal problems with Lakers guard
Kobe Bryant prompted Malone not to return for another season with the team. The
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
sought to sign Malone for 2004–05. In early February 2005, prior to the
2005 NBA All-Star Game, Malone's agent speculated that Malone would sign with the
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home ...
. Spurs head coach
Gregg Popovich
Gregg Charles Popovich (born January 28, 1949) is an American professional basketball coach and executive who is the president and head coach of the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Taking over as coach of the Spur ...
confirmed his team was interested in signing Malone, should he decide to play one more season.
At a press conference on February 13, 2005, at the Delta Center, Malone officially announced his retirement from the NBA after 19 seasons.
The Utah Jazz retired Malone's jersey number 32 on March 23, 2006, when the Jazz hosted the
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast D ...
. He was also honored with the unveiling of a
bronze statue outside the
EnergySolutions Arena
Vivint Arena (stylized as vivint arena), formerly known as Delta Center, EnergySolutions Arena and Vivint Smart Home Arena, is an indoor arena located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The arena serves as the home venue for the National Basketball Asso ...
next to teammate
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player. Regarded as one of the greatest point guards, players and passers of all time, he spent his entire NBA career (1984–2003) with the Utah Jazz, a ...
, and the renaming of a portion of 100 South in
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
in his honor. The location where the statues stand is now the intersection of Stockton and Malone.
Olympic career
In 1984, Malone and Stockton were both cut from the
United States men's national basketball team
The USA Basketball Men's National Team, commonly known as the United States men's national basketball team, is the basketball team representing the United States. They are the most successful team in international competition, winning medals in ...
but joined the team in 1992, when national basketball teams welcomed NBA players. Prior to that only professionals from leagues other than the NBA were allowed to compete, and that greatly disadvantaged the United States.
The
Oregon National Guard
The Oregon Military Department is an agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon, which oversees the armed forces of the state of Oregon. Under the authority and direction of the governor as commander-in-chief, the agency is responsib ...
made Malone an honorary member after the U.S. national team beat the
Venezuelan team 127–80 in the gold-medal game of the 1992 Olympic qualifier tournament.
Malone played in the
1992
File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
and
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
and won gold medals with the US team both years. In the 1996 Olympics, Malone averaged 8.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game and made 56.9% of two-point field goal attempts and 52.9% of free-throw attempts.
In 2010, he was inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame along with the rest of the original
Dream Team
Dream Team may refer to:
Sport
Basketball
* Dream Team, the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team in Barcelona
* Dream Team II, the 1994 U.S. men's national basketball team at the FIBA World Championship
* Dream Team III, the 1996 ...
.
Coaching career
Louisiana Tech (2007–2011)
On May 31, 2007, Malone became director of basketball promotion and assistant strength and conditioning coach at his alma mater
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana Tech, La. Tech, or simply Tech) is a public research university in Ruston, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activ ...
and donated $350,000 to the university athletic department.
On May 29, 2013, Malone returned to the Utah Jazz to work as a big man coach.
Player profile
![SLC KarlMaloneStatue 04Oct2017](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/SLC_KarlMaloneStatue_04Oct2017.jpg)
Malone is regarded as one of the best power forwards in the history of the NBA and was known as "the Mailman" for his consistent delivery.
He collected two regular-season MVP Awards, eleven NBA First Team nominations and was also selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team three times.
Malone led the NBA in free throws taken and made a league-record seven times. He was a physical defender and rebounder, and one of the most durable players ever in the NBA. He maintained a high level of play even at age 40, becoming the oldest player to both log a
triple-double
In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
and to be a starter on an NBA Finals-bound team. Malone's work ethic showed prominently in his formative years in the NBA, when he raised his
free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line (informally known as the foul line or the charity stripe), a line situated at the end of the Key (basketball), restricted ...
shooting percentage from below 50% to 75%.
Malone wore number 32 for the Utah Jazz. He wore
number 11 for the Los Angeles Lakers (number 32 was retired honoring Magic Johnson, though Johnson himself offered to have it unretired for Malone to wear, an offer Malone refused) and also for the Dream Team (the players wore 4 to 15 to adhere to
FIBA
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. Originally known as the (hence FIBA), in 1989 it dropped the word ''amateur'' from its na ...
rules). Malone was photographed with a number 32 jersey at his Lakers introductory press conference.
Over 1,476 NBA games (fourth all-time), and 1,471 starts (most all-time, never coming off the bench after his rookie season), Malone scored 36,928 points (25.0 per game), third-best all-time, on .516 shooting. His high
field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Although three-point field goal percentage is often calculated separately, three-point field goals are included in the gener ...
benefited from three factors, namely, the pick-and-roll offense; his physical power, enabling him to overpower most forwards, and his ability to run the court, allowing him to convert fastbreak dunks and lay-ups off assists by Stockton. Malone notched 10.1 rebounds and 1.41 steals per game for his career. In addition, Malone played 1,412 games with Stockton, most all-time for two players on the same team, and missed just ten games out of a possible 1,444 games during his time with the Jazz (three because of suspension).
NBA career statistics
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 81 , , 76 , , 30.6 , , .496 , , .000 , , .481 , , 8.9 , , 2.9 , , 1.3 , , 0.5 , , 14.9
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 34.8 , , .512 , , .000 , , .598 , , 10.4 , , 1.9 , , 1.3 , , 0.7 , , 21.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 82 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 39.0 , , .520 , , .000 , , .700 , , 12.0 , , 2.4 , , 1.4 , , 0.6 , , 27.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 80 , , 80 , , 39.1 , , .519 , , .313 , , .766 , , 10.7 , , 2.7 , , 1.8 , , 0.9 , , 29.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 38.1 , , .562 , , .372 , , .762 , , 11.1 , , 2.8 , , 1.5 , , 0.6 , , 31.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 40.3 , , .527 , , .286 , , .770 , , 11.8 , , 3.3 , , 1.1 , , 1.0 , , 29.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 81 , , 81 , , 37.7 , , .526 , , .176 , , .778 , , 11.2 , , 3.0 , , 1.3 , , 0.6 , , 28.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 82 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 37.8 , , .552 , , .200 , , .740 , , 11.2 , , 3.8 , , 1.5 , , 1.0 , , 27.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 40.6 , , .497 , , .250 , , .694 , , 11.5 , , 4.0 , , 1.5 , , 1.5 , , 25.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 38.1 , , .536 , , .268 , , .742 , , 10.6 , , 3.5 , , 1.6 , , 1.0 , , 26.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 82 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 38.0 , , .519 , , .400 , , .723 , , 9.8 , , 4.2 , , 1.7 , , 0.7 , , 25.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 82 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 36.6 , , .550 , , .000 , , .755 , , 9.9 , , 4.5 , , 1.4 , , 0.6 , , 27.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 81 , , 81 , , 37.4 , , .530 , , .333 , , .761 , , 10.3 , , 3.9 , , 1.2 , , 0.9 , , 27.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 49 , , 49 , , 37.4 , , .493 , , .000 , , .788 , , 9.4 , , 4.1 , , 1.3 , , 0.6 , , 23.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 82 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 35.9 , , .509 , , .250 , , .797 , , 9.5 , , 3.7 , , 1.0 , , 0.9 , , 25.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 81 , , 81 , , 35.7 , , .498 , , .400 , , .793 , , 8.3 , , 4.5 , , 1.1 , , 0.8 , , 23.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 80 , , 80 , , 38.0 , , .454 , , .360 , , .797 , , 8.6 , , 4.3 , , 1.9 , , 0.7 , , 22.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 81 , , 81 , , 36.2 , , .462 , , .214 , , .763 , , 7.8 , , 4.7 , , 1.7 , , 0.4 , , 20.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
L.A. Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
, 42 , , 42 , , 32.7 , , .483 , , .000 , , .747 , , 8.7 , , 3.9 , , 1.2 , , 0.5 , , 13.2
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan=2, Career
, 1,476 , , bgcolor="EOCEF2" , 1,471 , , 37.2 , , .516 , , .274 , , .742 , , 10.1 , , 3.6 , , 1.4 , , 0.8 , , 25.0
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan=2, All-Star
, 12 , , 8 , , 20.3 , , .542 , , – , , .725 , , 6.2 , , 1.6 , , 1.0 , , 0.4 , , 12.1
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal ente ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 4 , , 4 , , 36.0 , , .528 , , .000 , , .423 , , 7.5 , , 1.0 , , 2.0 , , .0 , , 21.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1987
File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, k ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 40.0 , , .420 , , .000 , , .722 , , 9.6 , , 1.2 , , 2.2 , , .8 , , 20.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1988
File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 11 , , 11 , , 44.9 , , .482 , , .000 , , .723 , , 11.8 , , 1.5 , , 1.2 , , .6 , , 29.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1989
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 3 , , 3 , , 45.3 , , .500 , , .000 , , .813 , , 16.3 , , 1.3 , , 1.0 , , .3 , , 30.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1990
File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 40.6 , , .438 , , .000 , , .756 , , 10.2 , , 2.2 , , 2.2 , , 1.0 , , 25.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1991
File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 9 , , 9 , , 42.6 , , .455 , , .000 , , .846 , , 13.3 , , 3.2 , , 1.0 , , 1.2 , , 29.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1992
File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 16 , , 16 , , 43.0 , , .521 , , .000 , , .805 , , 11.3 , , 2.6 , , 1.4 , , 1.2 , , 29.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1993
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 43.2 , , .454 , , .500 , , .816 , , 10.4 , , 2.0 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , 24.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1994
File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 16 , , 16 , , 43.9 , , .467 , , .000 , , .738 , , 12.4 , , 3.4 , , 1.4 , , .8 , , 27.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 43.2 , , .466 , , .333 , , .692 , , 13.2 , , 3.8 , , 1.4 , , .4 , , 30.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1996
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 18 , , 18 , , 40.3 , , .469 , , .000 , , .574 , , 10.3 , , 4.4 , , 1.9 , , .6 , , 26.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 20 , , 20 , , 40.8 , , .435 , , .500 , , .720 , , 11.4 , , 2.9 , , 1.4 , , .8 , , 26.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1998
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 20 , , 20 , , 39.8 , , .471 , , .000 , , .788 , , 10.9 , , 3.4 , , 1.1 , , 1.0 , , 26.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1999
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 11 , , 11 , , 41.0 , , .417 , , .000 , , .791 , , 11.3 , , 4.7 , , 1.2 , , .7 , , 21.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 10 , , 10 , , 38.6 , , .520 , , 1.000 , , .810 , , 8.9 , , 3.1 , , .7 , , .7 , , 27.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2001
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 39.8 , , .405 , , .500 , , .796 , , 8.8 , , 3.4 , , 1.0 , , .8 , , 27.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 4 , , 4 , , 40.8 , , .411 , , .000 , , .714 , , 7.5 , , 4.5 , , .8 , , .8 , , 20.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2003
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 38.2 , , .405 , , .000 , , .732 , , 6.8 , , 4.0 , , 1.6 , , .4 , , 19.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2004
, style="text-align:left;",
L.A. Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
, 21 , , 21 , , 38.0 , , .450 , , .000 , , .630 , , 8.8 , , 3.4 , , 1.1 , , .1 , , 11.5
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan=2, Career
, 193 , , 193 , , 38.0 , , .463 , , .162 , , .736 , , 10.7 , , 3.2 , , 1.3 , , .7 , , 24.7
Personal life
Family
Malone married Kay Kinsey, winner of the 1988
Miss Idaho USA
The Miss Idaho USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss USA pageant and the name of the title held by that winner. It is currently produced by Pageants NW Productions based in Puyallup, Wa ...
pageant, on December 24, 1990.
They have four children: daughter Kadee (born November 8, 1991), daughter Kylee (born April 7, 1993), son Karl Jr. "K.J." (born May 8, 1995), and daughter Karlee (born 1998).
K.J. played football at
LSU
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
, and was invited to the 2018 NFL Combine.
In 1998, the
tabloid newspaper ''
The Globe'' reported that Malone had been a defendant in paternity lawsuits, filed shortly after Malone began his professional basketball career in the late 1980s. The newspaper alleged that he was the father of three children: two by Bonita Ford, a woman approximately his age from his hometown of Summerfield, Louisiana, and one with Gloria Bell, who was 13 when she gave birth. Malone and Ford were both 17 when twins Daryl and
Cheryl Ford
Cheryl Ford (born June 6, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player. As a member of the Detroit Shock, she won the WNBA championship three times.
Personal life
Cheryl Ford is the daughter of Bonita Ford and former NBA player ...
were born; Malone was a 20-year-old college sophomore when Bell, at age 13, gave birth to
Demetress Bell
Demetress Carte Bell (born May 3, 1984), formerly known as Demetrius Bell, is a former American football offensive tackle. After playing college football for Northwestern State, he was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2008 ...
. In the aftermath of the ''Globe'' story, Malone met the Ford twins for the first time since visiting them in the hospital after they were born.
Malone did not meet with Bell at that time, and his attorney insisted that Malone had settled the lawsuits before any conclusive establishment of paternity and thus still did not know whether he was truly the father of any of the children.
The ''Tribune'' confirmed that the judge in the Bell lawsuit ruled Malone to be the father, not based on presented evidence, but rather because Malone did not respond to the suit. The paper also examined court documents detailing the evidence that was to have been presented had Malone responded and a trial ensued. One item listed was a laboratory blood test that concluded with over 99% certainty that Bell's father was either Malone or a brother of Malone. The paper also reported that applying the same blood sample to the Ford twins resulted in a similarly high probability of paternity by Malone.
[Fantin, Linda. Spirit vs. Letter of Law in Malone Paternity Suits. '']The Salt Lake Tribune
''The Salt Lake Tribune'' is a newspaper published in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah. The ''Tribune'' is owned by The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The newspaper's motto is "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871."
History
...
'', July 19, 1998.[Fantin, Linda. Three Children Who Grew Up in the Shadow of Karl Malone; In spite of settling paternity suits, Jazz superstar never acknowledged Louisiana teens. But recently he made contact with twins; Children Claim Karl Malone Is Their Father. '']The Salt Lake Tribune
''The Salt Lake Tribune'' is a newspaper published in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah. The ''Tribune'' is owned by The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The newspaper's motto is "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871."
History
...
'', July 19, 1998. According to the ''Tribune'', Malone challenged the court's ruling with regard to Bell, claiming that the judgment holding him responsible for $125 per week in child support, plus past and future medical expenses, was excessive. Before Malone's appeal was adjudicated, the lawsuit was settled on confidential terms. In the case of the Ford twins, Malone was ruled to be their father when he violated a court order by refusing to reveal his assets or submit to a
DNA test
Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, o ...
. Thereafter, another out-of-court settlement was reached.
By the fall of 1998, Malone accepted his paternity of the Ford twins, and Kay Malone said publicly that the twins were members of the Malone family.
[Siegel, Lee. Kay Malone Brings Message of Love To Families Panel; Keynote speaker enlivens conference with Mailman household anecdotes; Family The Focus at Utah Conference. '']The Salt Lake Tribune
''The Salt Lake Tribune'' is a newspaper published in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah. The ''Tribune'' is owned by The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The newspaper's motto is "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871."
History
...
'', November 8, 1998. Since that time, Karl Malone has maintained a relationship with the twins, each of whom later played college basketball at his alma mater, Louisiana Tech. Cheryl Ford went on to a professional basketball career with the
Detroit Shock of the
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is an American professional basketball league. It is composed of twelve teams, all based in the United States. The league was founded on April 22, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the Natio ...
.
Bell has played as an offensive lineman for the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
,
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
, and
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
. In 2008, ''
The Buffalo News
''The Buffalo News'' is the daily newspaper of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, located in downtown Buffalo, New York. It recently sold its headquarters to Uniland Development Corp. It was for decades the only paper fully owned by W ...
'' reported that Bell's first and only meeting with Malone came shortly after Bell graduated from high school. According to Bell, Malone told him then that it was "too late" for them to have a father–son relationship.
[Wilson, Allen]
Dad Karl Malone a footnote in Demetrius Bell’s life
''The Buffalo News
''The Buffalo News'' is the daily newspaper of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, located in downtown Buffalo, New York. It recently sold its headquarters to Uniland Development Corp. It was for decades the only paper fully owned by W ...
'', April 29, 2008. Retrieved May 1, 2008. However, in 2014, the two repaired their relationship and were in regular contact by 2018.
[
In 2018, Malone said about his relationship with his older children, "I didn't handle it right; I was wrong ... Father Time is the biggest thief that's out there, and you can't get that back."][
]
Politics
Malone donated $4,000 to the 2004 reelection campaign of President George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
and $2,000 to the 2004 U.S. Senate campaign of Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann Murkowski ( ; born May 22, 1957) is an American attorney and politician serving as the senior United States senator for Alaska, having held that seat since 2002. Murkowski is the second-most senior Republican woman in the Senate, after S ...
, a Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
from Alaska. In 2002, Malone donated $1,000 to the campaign
Campaign or The Campaign may refer to:
Types of campaigns
* Campaign, in agriculture, the period during which sugar beets are harvested and processed
*Advertising campaign, a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme
* Bl ...
of incumbent U.S. Representative Jim Matheson
James David Matheson (born March 21, 1960) is an American politician who served as a United States Representative from Utah from 2001 to 2015. He represented Utah's 2nd district from 2001 to 2013 and its from 2013 to 2015 as a member of the De ...
, a Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
representing Utah's 2nd congressional district
Utah's 2nd congressional district currently serves Salt Lake City and the largely rural western and southern portions of Utah, including Saint George and Tooele. The current U.S. House Representative is Republican Chris Stewart.
A map of cur ...
. Malone appeared on the "Great American Panel" segment of the Fox News
The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
talk show ''Hannity
''Hannity'' is an American conservative television political talk program on Fox News hosted by Sean Hannity. Episodes air live at 9:00 p.m. from Monday through Thursday, while episodes that air on Fridays are pre-recorded, with a repeat ...
'' in March 2009. He advocated support for farmers in Louisiana who were about to lose their jobs due to the closing of Pilgrim's Pride
Pilgrim's Pride Corporation is an American, multi-national food company, currently one of the largest chicken producers in the United States and Puerto Rico and the second-largest chicken producer in Mexico. It exited bankruptcy in December 2009 ...
plants.
Malone has served on the board of directors of the National Rifle Association (NRA), a national firearms advocacy organization in the USA.
Outdoor life
Malone is an avid hunter and fisherman. He owns a summer home near the Kenai River
The Kenai River called ''Kahtnu'' in the Dena'ina language, is the longest river in the Kenai Peninsula of southcentral Alaska. It runs westward from Kenai Lake in the Kenai Mountains, through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and Skilak Lak ...
in Alaska. In July 1998, Malone joined his Jazz teammates Chris Morris and Bryon Russell
Bryon Demetrise Russell (born December 31, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player. During a National Basketball Association (NBA) career that spanned from 1993 to 2006, he played for the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and ...
, some family members, corporate leadership of Q-Lube, and winners of a Q-Lube contest for a four-day fishing trip to Alaska.
Businesses
Malone is the owner of Teriyaki Grill, Eskamoe’s Frozen Custard & More, and Arby's
Arby's is an American fast food sandwich restaurant chain with more than 3,300 restaurants system wide and third in terms of revenue. In October 2017, '' Food & Wine'' called Arby's "America's second largest sandwich chain (after Subway)".
Ar ...
in Ruston, Louisiana.
He also owns two car dealerships in Utah and one in Louisiana. Karl Malone Toyota is in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper, Utah
Draper is a city in Salt Lake and Utah counties in the U.S. state of Utah, about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. As of the 2020 census, the population is 51,017, up from 7,143 in 1990.
Draper is part of two metropolitan areas; ...
, while Karl Malone Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is in Heber City, Utah
Heber City is a city and county seat of Wasatch County, Utah, United States. The population was 11,362 at the time of the 2010 census. It is located 43 miles southeast of Salt Lake City.
History
Heber City was first settled in 1859 by Robert ...
. Malone previously co-owned a Toyota dealership in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
, with Larry H. Miller Dealerships
Larry H. Miller (April 26, 1944 – February 20, 2009) was an American businessman. He owned the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Utah Jazz and the Salt Lake Bees, a minor league baseball team. Miller and his companies (LHM Group) also own ...
, but sold his share in 2010. He also co-owned a Honda dealership in Sandy, Utah
Sandy is a city in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, located in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. The population of Sandy was 87,461 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth-largest city in Utah. The population is currently estimated ...
, with John Stockton
John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player. Regarded as one of the greatest point guards, players and passers of all time, he spent his entire NBA career (1984–2003) with the Utah Jazz, a ...
, but sold his share, again to Larry H. Miller Dealerships, in 2010. In 2019, he bought a Toyota dealership in Ruston, Louisiana, now called Karl Malone Toyota of Ruston.
Malone also owns three Jiffy Lube franchises in Utah, and is a part owner of Burger King franchises
The majority of the locations of international fast-food restaurant chain Burger King are privately owned franchises. While the majority of franchisees are smaller operations, several have grown into major corporations in their own right. At the ...
in Utah and Idaho.
Acting
Malone starred in the 1994 film ''Rockwell'' as a member of Porter Rockwell
Orrin Porter Rockwell (June 28, 1813 or June 25, 1815 – June 9, 1878) was a figure of the Wild West period of American history. A lawman in the Utah Territory, he was nicknamed ''Old Port'' and ''The Destroying Angel of Mormondom''.
Rockwell se ...
's team. He had a guest appearance as himself and as a superhero named "Pulverizer" on an episode of the animated show Static Shock in 2004. Malone also made a cameo appearance as himself in the 2004 comedy film ''Soul Plane
''Soul Plane'' is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Jessy Terrero (in his feature film directorial debut). The film stars Tom Arnold, Kevin Hart, Method Man and Snoop Dogg. Supporting actors include Mo'Nique, Loni Love, K.D. Aubert, D.L ...
''. He also has a recurring role in a skit called "All Alone with Karl Malone" on the television series ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!
''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, Los ...
''
Professional wrestling
After the 1998 NBA Finals, Malone and Chicago Bulls power forward Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. Known for his fierce defensive and rebounding abilities, his biography on the official NBA website states that he is "arguably the best rebounding ...
participated in a professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
match in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...
(WCW) at their Bash at the Beach event in July 1998. Malone, a wrestling fan, teamed with his friend, Diamond Dallas Page
Dallas Page (born Page Joseph Falkinburg Jr., April 5, 1956), better known by his ring name Diamond Dallas Page (often stylized as DDP), is an American actor and retired professional wrestler. In the course of his wrestling career Page has wre ...
, against Rodman and Hulk Hogan
Terry Eugene Bollea (; born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 19 ...
. In a poorly received match by some wrestling critics, the two power forwards exchanged "rudimentary headlocks, slams and clotheslines" for 23 minutes. Malone and DDP lost to Rodman and Hogan. The event was a massive financial success for the company, drawing the highest pay-per-view buyrate of 1998 and one of the highest in the company's history.
Public image
Malone is known for frequently referring to himself in the third person.
See also
*
*
* List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders
This article contains two charts: The first chart is a list of the top 50 all-time scorers in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The list includes only points scored in regular season games. The second chart is a progressi ...
*
* List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders
This article provides two lists:
:A list of National Basketball Association players by total career regular season steals.
:A progressive list of steals leaders showing how the record has increased through the years.
Steals leaders
This is a lis ...
*
*
*
* List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders
*
* List of National Basketball Association career playoff steals leaders
*
*
*
*
* List of National Basketball Association seasons played leaders
Only ten players in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA) have played 20 or more seasons in their respective careers. In 1985–86, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke the previous NBA record of 16 seasons held by Dolph Schayes, John Havl ...
*
References
External links
NBA Legends: Karl Malone
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Malone, Karl
1963 births
Living people
20th-century African-American sportspeople
21st-century African-American people
African-American basketball coaches
African-American basketball players
All-American college men's basketball players
American men's basketball coaches
American men's basketball players
Basketball coaches from Louisiana
Basketball players at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Basketball players at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Basketball players from Louisiana
Illeists
Los Angeles Lakers players
Louisiana Republicans
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball coaches
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball players
Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
National Basketball Association All-Stars
National Basketball Association players with retired numbers
Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball
People from Summerfield, Louisiana
Power forwards (basketball)
Sportspeople from Newport Beach, California
Sportspeople from Ruston, Louisiana
United States men's national basketball team players
Utah Jazz draft picks
Utah Jazz players