A quiet, hulking figure, his silent demeanor and wariness around the media masked his fundamental understanding of the sport.
#Mashti malone 1983 free#
An equally crafty scorer, he averaged more than 20 points for 11 years, using an infinite number of post moves, a nose for offensive rebounds and a knack for getting to the free throw line. Ferocious on the boards, he was the NBA’s rebounding leader six times in a seven-year span. Not as tall as the game’s other legendary centers, Malone capitalized on his strength, quickness and tenacity. He’s second in free throws made (9,018) and attempted (11,864) behind Karl Malone, fourth in minutes (49,444) played and fifth in games (1,455). He also grabbed 17,834 rebounds, third behind Chamberlain and Bill Russell.
#Mashti malone 1983 pro#
In 21 pro seasons he scored 29,580 points, sixth on the all-time list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Julius Erving. Since 1973-74, when the NBA began keeping offensive and defensive rebounds as separate categories, Malone is ranked first on the all-time list in offensive rebounds (6,731).Īdd in his two ABA seasons and Malone’s numbers are even more impressive. He also left the game as third in games played (1,329), sixth in minutes played (45,071) and 10th in field goal attempts (19,225). He made more free throws, 8,531 more at the time, than any other player in NBA history and also finished his career ranked second behind Wilt Chamberlain in free throw attempts with 11,090. Malone retired following the 1994-95 season having scored 27,409 points and grabbed 16,212 rebounds in his 19-year NBA career. Playing forward until he filled out enough to take the pounding at center, Malone was an immediate success in the ABA, averaging over 18 points and 14 rebounds as a rookie.Īfter two seasons in the ABA he went on to become a dominant NBA player for well over a decade, leading the Houston Rockets to The Finals in 1981 and the Philadelphia 76ers to the 1983 NBA championship. The third-leading rebounder and sixth-leading scorer in combined NBA/ABA history, he was honored in 1996-97 as a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.Īt the age of 19, when he was a lean and lanky 6-foot-10 manchild, Malone had no trouble making the jump from Petersburg (Va.) High School to the Utah Stars of the ABA. One of the game’s all-time great centers, Moses Malone was a relentless rebounder and effective scorer who made the jump from high school to a pro career that lasted 21 years. Moses Malone jumped from high school to the pros and became one of NBA’s best centers ever.