Karl Malone

At 61 years old, Karl Malone has this physical status:

Karl Anthony Malone (born July 24, 1963) is an American retired professional basketball player.

Nicknamed "The Mailman" Malone spent his first 18 seasons (1985–2003) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and formed a formidable teammate John Stockton.

Malone also played for the Los Angeles Lakers for one season.

Malone, a 14-time NBA All-Star and an 11-time member of the All-NBA first team, was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, as well as an 11-time member of the All-NBA first team.

His 36,928 career points placed him second in NBA history behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and he holds the record for the most free throws attempted and made, in addition to being ranked second in all-time All-NBA picks with Kobe Bryant and second behind LeBron James.

Malone played basketball at Louisiana Tech University and is regarded as one of the best power forwards in NBA history.

In his three years with Louisiana Tech, he helped the Bulldogs basketball team win their first-ever NCAA tournament in 1984 and 1985, finishing first in the Southland Conference for the first time.

The Utah Jazz drafted Malone in 1985 with the 13th overall pick in the first round.

Malone appeared in the playoffs every season in his career, including the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998 with the Jazz.

He spent his remaining season with the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he played in his third Finals in 2004.

Malone has the most career post-season losses of any NBA player, with 95 points.

Malone competed with the United States national team in the Summer Olympic Games of 1992 and 1996; in both years he earned gold medals.

Malone joined the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team in 2007 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice – for his individual accomplishments and as a member of the 1992 United States Olympic basketball team.

Early life and college

Born in Summerfield, Louisiana, Malone was the youngest of nine children and spent his childhood on a farm with his single mother, Shirley. Shedrick Hay's father was raising a family with another woman who died and committed suicide before Karl Malone was 3 years old; Malone first reported it in 1994. Malone used to work on the farm and cut trees, hunted, and fished as a youth. He attended Summerfield High School and led his basketball team to three consecutive Louisiana Class C championships from 1979 to 1981.

Malone, who was recruited by University of Arkansas basketball coach Eddie Sutton, was enrolled in Louisiana Tech University, which was closer to home. In his second year, he joined the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team because his grades were too low for freshman eligibility; Malone worked under coach Andy Russo. Malone's second season with Louisiana Tech (1983–84) saw him average 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, and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history; the team advanced to the Sweet 16 round. Malone was an All-Southland pick in each of his three seasons with the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

Personal life

On December 24, 1990, Malone married Kay Kinsey, the 1988 Miss Idaho USA pageant champion. They have four children: daughter Kadee (born November 8, 1991), granddaughter Kylee (born April 7, 1993), and brother Karl Jr. "K.J." Karlee (born 1998), May 8, 1995), and their daughter Karlee (born 1998). K.J. He played football at LSU and was invited to the 2018 NFL Combine.

The Globe, a tabloid newspaper, announced that Malone had been a defendant in paternity cases, which occurred shortly after Malone began his professional basketball career in the late 1980s. According to the journal, he was the father of three children: two by Bonita Ford, a woman about his age from his hometown of Summerfield, Louisiana, and one with Gloria Bell, who was 13 when she gave birth to Gloria Bell. When twins Daryl and Cheryl Ford were born, they were both 17; Malone, a 20-year-old college sophomore, gave birth to Demetress Bell at the age of 13. Malone met the Ford twins in the hospital after they were born for the first time since being in the hospital after they were born. Malone did not speak with Bell at the time, and his counsel insisted that Malone had resolved the cases before any conclusive establishment of paternity, and therefore, he did not know if he was really the father of any of the children.

Malone was found to be the father by the judge in the Bell case, not based on observed facts, but rather because Malone did not respond to the suit. The paper also looked at court records relating to the facts that was supposed to have been presented if Malone responded and a trial ensued. Bell's father was either Malone or a brother of Malone, according to one of the items on the list. The paper also reported that applying the same blood sample to the Ford twins resulted in a similar high risk of paternity as Malone. According to the Tribune, Malone appealed the court's decision concerning Bell, alleging that the finding holding him responsible for $125 per week in child care, as well as future and future medical expenses, was excessive. The case was settled on confidential terms before Malone's appeal was heard. Malone was found to be their father when he refused to reveal his wealth or submit to a DNA test. A new out-of-court deal was signed soon after.

Malone accepted the paternity of the Ford twins by the fall of 1998, and Kay Malone announced that the twins were family members of the Malone clan. Karl Malone has been in touch with the twins ever since, one of whom played college basketball at his alma mater, Louisiana Tech. Cheryl Ford began working with the Women's National Basketball Association in Detroit, Michigan.

Bell has served as an offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. Bell's first and only meeting with Malone came shortly after Bell graduated from high school, according to The Buffalo News in 2008. Malone told Bell that it was "too late" for them to have a father-son relationship. However, the two women recovered their friendship in 2014 and were in regular contact by 2018.

"I didn't do it right; I was wrong," Malone said of his relationship with his older children in 2018.

President George W. Bush's 2004 reelection bid, as well as $2,000 to Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, who is a Republican from Alaska. In 2002, Malone contributed $1,000 to the campaign of incumbent U.S. Representative Jim Matheson, a Democrat representing Utah's 2nd congressional district. In March 2009, Malone appeared on the Fox News talk show Hannity's "Great American Panel" segment. He advocated for farmers in Louisiana, who were going to lose their jobs as a result of Pilgrim's Pride's closing.

Malone has served on the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association (NRA), a national firearms advocacy group in the United States.

Malone is an avid hunter and fisherman. He owns a summer home along the Kenai River in Alaska. Malone, alongside Jazz teammates Chris Morris and Bryon Russell, some relatives, Q-Lube's corporate leadership, and the winners of a Q-Lube contest for a four-day fishing trip to Alaska in July 1998.

Malone is the owner of Teriyaki Grill, Eskamoe's Frozen Custard & More, and Arby's in Ruston, Louisiana.

He also owns two auto dealerships in Utah and one in Louisiana. Karl Malone Toyota is located in Draper, Utah, while Karl Malone Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is located in Heber City, Utah. Malone previously co-owned a Toyota dealership in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Larry H. Miller Dealerships, but he sold his interest in 2010. With John Stockton, he co-owned a Honda dealership in Sandy, Utah, but eventually sold his shares 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 of Burger King franchises in Utah and Idaho.

Malone appeared in the 1994 film Rockwell as a member of Porter Rockwell's staff. On an episode of the animated show Static Shock in 2004, he appeared both as himself and as a superhero named "Pulverizer." In the 2004 comedy film Soul Plane, Malone made a cameo appearance as himself. On the television show Jimmy Kimmel Live, he appears in "All Alone with Karl Malone."

Dennis Rodman, the 1998 NBA Finals, was involved in a competitive wrestling match in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) at their Bash at the Beach event in July 1998. Malone, a wrestling fan, teamed with Diamond Dallas Page against Rodman and Hulk Hogan. The two power forwards exchanged "rudimentary headlocks, slams, and clothinglines" for 23 minutes in a poorly received match by some wrestling journalists. Malone and the DDP lost to Rodman and Hogan. The year was a major financial success for the firm, with the highest pay-per-view buyrate of 1998 and one of the highest in the company's history.

Malone is known for referring to himself in the third person.

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NBA career

The Utah Jazz selected Karl Malone with the 13th overall pick in the 1985 NBA draft. "If professional scouts had accurately predicted Karl Malone's impact on the NBA, Malone would have been picked much higher than 13th in the 1985 NBA Draft," Malone's official NBA biography says. In fact, Malone was so sure that the Dallas Mavericks would pick him as the eighth choice that he had already rented an apartment in Dallas. Rather, the Mavericks selected Detlef Schrempf. In his first season under new head coach Frank Layden, Malone earned 14.9 points and 8.9 rebounds and made the 1986 NBA All-Rookie Team, placing third in third for Rookie of the Year votes. The Jazz beat the Houston Rockets 105–102 on January 14, 1986, snapping the Rockets' 20-game winning streak at home. Malone had 29 points in the game, including four free throws and a three-pointer by Pace Mannion, enabling the team to recover from a 96-89 deficit with 5 minutes and 36 seconds remaining to a 96-96 tie. The Jazz made the playoffs for the third straight season, but the Dallas Mavericks lost the first round of the 1986 playoffs to the Dallas Mavericks. Malone saw an increase in his scoring in his four playoff games with a 20 point per game average, but shooting (49.6% field goals) and rebounds (8.9) was still subpar in shooting. Malone's second season as the Jazz's top scorer (21.7 points) and rebounding (10.4 rebounds) in 24 of 29 games between February 1 and April 3, 1987, he was the game's leading scorer.

Malone was the foundation of the offense during the 1987-1988 season, and John Stockton was the floor general. Malone played in his first All-Star Game in 1988 on the strength of 27.1 points per game, and he assembled his first All-NBA squad at the end of the season. It was the first of 14 consecutive All-Star appearances for Malone. Malone led the Western Conference All-Star Team in 1988 with 22 points. The Jazz finished 47-35, third place in the Midwest Division, and beat the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. The Los Angeles Lakers, the defending champions, were defeated in seven games by Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Malone had 31 points and 15 rebounds in the Lakers' seventh game of the season, but the Lakers defeated the Jazz 109-98 and eventually secured the 1988 NBA Finals. Malone scored 29.7 points and 11.8 rebounds in 11 playoff games in 1988.

During the 1988 offseason, Malone signed a 10-year deal worth $18 million. Jerry Sloan succeeded Layden as the head coach after Layden became team president in December 1988. In 1988–89, Malone averaged 29.1 points, good for second in the NBA behind Michael Jordan and 10.7 rebounds, which was fifth in the league. Malone's highest scoring average was his highest score ever in his career. Malone scored 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists in his first NBA All-Star Game in 1989. The Jazz finished 51-31, but the Golden State Warriors swept the Jazz in three games in the first round. Malone's first appearance in the All-NBA First Team award came this season.

Malone, who starred in 31 points during his career, returned to 11.1 a game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team for the first time in 1989–90. Malone won by 122–113 over the Denver Nuggets in the first game of the season. In a 94–80 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Malone scored 21 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. In a 114-100 road victory over the Charlotte Hornets, Malone scored 52 points and 17 rebounds. In a 144-96 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on January 27, 1990, Malone scored a career-high 61 points. He made 21 of 26 field goals and 19 of 23 free throws. Since the team moved to Utah from New Orleans, it was the most points scored by a Jazz player since the team moved to Utah. Despite being named in the NBA All-Star Game for the third season in a row, Malone did not attend the game due to an ankle injury. In 24 of the team's last 26 games, he led the team in scoring; against the Golden State Warriors on March 29, 1990, he scored 49 points; against the Lakers on April 12, he scored 45 points; In the first round of the playoffs, the Jazz, who finished the season 55-27, lost to the Phoenix Suns within five games, in which Malone had 25.2 points and 10.2 rebounds. Malone finished second in the league in points per game second season, behind Michael Jordan.

Malone led the Jazz in scoring for 19 straight games from January 19 to March 4, 1991; the team went 21–9 in January and February 1991. In 1991 NBA All-Star Game, Malone's fourth straight All-Star appearance for the West, he scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while the West's average was 29.0 points and 11.8 rebounds per week. He was one of four Jazz players with double-figure scoring averages, the others being Jeff Malone (no relation), John Stockton, and Thurl Bailey. In four games, the Jazz defeated the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 1991 playoffs, but in the second round, the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Phoenix Suns. For the third season in a row, Malone was named in the All-NBA First Team.

Malone finished second in the league in scoring in 1991–92, averaging 28 points per game. For the fourth year in a row, he was selected in the All-NBA First Team. The Jazz also had a breakout season, when the team reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history during the 1992 NBA Playoffs. In five games this season, Malone scored 40 or more points. Despite his continuing success and successes, Malone ran into difficulties for commiting a flagrant foul. When the Jazz defeated the Detroit Pistons on December 14, 1991, Malone elbowed the Pistons' Isiah Thomas on the forehead. Thomas needed 40 stitches in his eye, and the NBA suspended Malone for the next game without compensation and fined him $10,000. In six games, the Jazz lost in the playoffs for the second straight season to the Portland Trail Blazers in the first-ever franchise Western Conference Finals appearance. In the 1992 playoffs, Malone shot 52.1 percent shooting and 11.9 rebounds, giving the average of 29.1 points on 51.9 percent shooting and 11.9 rebounds.

Malone's numbers in the 1990s and 1990s were outstanding: he averaged 27.0 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, 25.2 points, and 11.5 rebounds. In 1993–94, 26.7 points, and 10.6 rebounds, and 9.8 rebounds were all rebounds; in 1993–96, he averaged 27.0 points and 11.5 rebounds, as well as 9.8 rebounds. Following Malone's participation in the 1992 Summer Olympics, when Malone's American national team, dubbed the "Dream Team," earn a gold medal, Malone, who had recently tested positive for HIV and retired from the NBA in 1991, had to return from the sport in 1991. Since Johnson's admission, Malone's view differed from that of his Olympic and Los Angeles Lakers teammates, and the NBA introduced AIDS-related precautions. Malone reached 16,000 career points in a game against the Lakers on February 4, 1993. In 1993, he and his coworker John Stockton received the All-Star MVP award. Malone scored 28 points and pulled in ten rebounds in the West's 135–132 overtime victory.

Malone played in all 82 games from 1993-1994 and helped the Jazz make the Western Conference Finals for the second time in franchise history and his career. Malone led the Jazz in scoring (25.2), rebounding (11.5), and blocked shots (126), and played 3,329 minutes, the second-most in the league behind Latrell Sprewell's 3,533. Malone's career-high 23 rebounds came on March 29, 1994, but the Jazz lost 116-113 to the Golden State Warriors. Malone made only 8 of the 29 field goals that night and said, "My rebounds are not going to be tomorrow's headline"; and, "Tomorrow's headline will be all the quick shots I missed." In five games, the eventual NBA champions, the Houston Rockets, eliminated the Jazz from the Western Conference Finals. Despite Malone's 32 points in the Jazz's 104-99 Game 2 loss, as well as Stockton's 18, the Rockets and the Jazz were no match for the Rockets without high-scoring center Hakeem Olajuwon. Midway through the fourth quarter, Malone and Olajuwon scored on four straight possessions by their teams, bringing the score to a 93-93 draw.

The Utah Jazz won 60 games for the first time in team history, 1994–95. In addition,, the team won 15 straight away games (the best such streak by the team and 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. The Jazz lost to the Houston Rockets for the second year in a row, this time in the first round of the 1995 playoffs. For the second straight season, the Rockets were NBA champions for the second straight season.

Malone's contract with the Jazz had been renewed on January 13, 1996. In this period, the Jazz only made it to the Western Conference Finals, losing to the Portland Trail Blazers (1992), the Seattle SuperSonics (1994), and the Seattle SuperSonics (1996).

Malone returned from a gold medal winning bid at the 1996 Summer Olympics, leading the Jazz to two straight NBA Finals appearances. Malone led the Jazz to a 64-48 victory, the most regular-season victories in team history, during the 1996-97 season. Malone received his first NBA Most Valuable Player award, and the Jazz were the top team in the Western Conference and the playoff champions in that league. The Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Clippers and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a tense match, led by Hakee Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, and Clyde Drexler. In six games, the Jazz defeated them (the last victory came on a last-second shot by Stockton). In 1997, the Malones made it to the NBA Finals, where they defeated the Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. The Bulls won the first two games at the United Center in a match between the two previous MVPs. In Game 2, Malone struggled from the field, scoring 6 of 20 for 20 points. The Jazz won the next two games at the Delta Center, behind Malone's 37 points in Game 3 and 23, as well as a game-winning fastbreak lay-up in the last minute. The Bulls won the next two games and the series, with Malone struggling with the foul line in Game 6.

The Jazz were once more dominant in the next season. Malone averaged 27 points per game and missed out on his second MVP award after losing to Jordan. Nevertheless, the Jazz set a 62-20 record, the highest in the NBA. The Jazz were once more in the Western Conference, and they defeated the Rockets, Spurs, and Lakers in the 1998 playoffs, sweeping en route to their second straight Finals appearance. Malone put up 21 points and the Jazz won Game 1, 88-85, but the rematch with the Chicago Bulls would begin differently. Malone found himself unable to produce consistently high numbers due in large part to the swarms of defenders Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen's defense. Malone led the Jazz in scoring with 39 points in Game 5 of the 1998 Finals, and the Jazz defeated the Bulls 83-81 in Chicago. Malone scored 39 points on 17-for-27 shooting, as well as 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 turnover. Many of his shots were "mid-range turnaround jumpers from the left side."

The Delta Center in Salt Lake City hosted a sixth game of the Finals, and by leading the way 3–2, the team was just one loss away from losing the series. Malone had 31 points and 11 rebounds. Despite the fact that the Jazz had leads of 49–45 and 66–61 in the third quarter, the team squandered their lead in the fourth and lost the tie after Malone lost a point in the article. With 18.9 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the Jazz leading 86–85, Bulls guard Michael Jordan stole the ball from Malone and gave the Bulls the lead after 1.2 seconds. John Stockton missed a game-winning jump shot. Jordan's shot has been dubbed the "best shot" of his career, and the Bulls' 1998 championship was their third consecutive championship and sixth since 1991.

Malone announced on his Los Angeles-based radio show that after the lockout, he would request a trade from the Jazz, quoting a lack of respect from team owner Larry H. Miller and the Utah media, which he referred to as "goons." Malone rebuffed his trade demands a week later, saying in an interview that he would still love to play for the Jazz with "everything else being equal." Malone received his second MVP award in February, the Jazz going 37-13 during the 50-game regular season. The Jazz lost in the second round of the Trail Blazers the year before, and the Jazz fell out of playoff contention for the next four years. The Jazz won Game 5 of the second round of the 1999 season against the Blazers 88–71, triggering their sixth game, with Malone scoring 23 points. Malone elbowed Brian Grant of the Blazers, a game he did in Game 1 and for which he was fined $10,000. Despite the team's demise and his growing age, Malone averaged 25.5, 23.2, 22.4, and 20.6 points per game in his last four seasons with Utah. Malone came in second on the all-time scoring list for second in the 2002–2003 season. In 2003, he became a free agent, the year Stockton had resigned. The Jazz's John Stockton and point guard John Stockton starred together on the basketball team (1984–2003), forming one of the most versatile guard–forward pairings in NBA history. The Jazz consistently made the playoffs with winning records, owing to playing coach Jerry Sloan's scrappy and tough style as well as perfecting the pick and roll to a maximum degree of success. With the exception of 1992–93 (47–35), Malone led the Jazz to multiple 50-win seasons.

Malone played in the NBA for one season before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in an attempt to win a championship. Gary Payton, the Lakers' all-star point guard, was also involved in winning his first NBA title, and the Lakers were expected to win the title against Malone, Payton, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant. The Lakers got off to a good 18-3 record on the season on December 21, but they were forced to miss 39 games due to a knee injury sustained by the Phoenix Suns on December 21. Malone was back in the playoffs by the season's end when the Lakers advanced to the playoffs with 56 victories and the number two seed in the playoffs. Malone recorded double-figure scoring in four games, including a 30-point and 13-rebound effort in the Lakers' victory in the first round against the Houston Rockets. Despite not scoring more than 13 points in any game during the series, the Lakers advanced to the San Antonio Spurs in the conference semifinals, where Malone played a vital role on defense against Tim Duncan. In the conference semifinals, the Lakers defeated the Spurs in six games before defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in 6 games to advance to the NBA Finals. On two occasions against Minnesota, he scored 17 points and 8.8 rebounds, the highest point and 8.8 rebounds in a game in the playoffs.

In the 2004 NBA Finals, the 40-year-old Malone's bid to win an NBA championship fell short. In game three, Malone strained his right knee and got sick in three and four games before missing the fifth and final game of the season.

Malone became a free agent after his time with the Lakers. Malone was unable to return for another season with the team after suffering knee surgery during the summer of 2004. For 2004, the New York Knicks were attempting to sign Malone. Malone's agent speculated that he would join the San Antonio Spurs in early February 2005, well before the 2005 NBA All-Star Game. If Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich decides to play one more season, he said his team was interested in signing Malone.

Malone announced his retirement from the NBA after 19 seasons at a press conference on February 13, 2005, at the Delta Center.

When the Jazz hosted the Washington Wizards on March 23, 2006, the Utah Jazz retired Malone's jersey number 32. He was also honoured with the unveiling of a bronze statue outside the EnergySolutions Arena next to teammate John Stockton and the renaming of a portion of 100 South in Salt Lake City in his honor. The statues' stand is now located in Stockton and Malone's intersection.

Olympic career

Malone and Stockton were both barred from the United States national basketball team in 1984, but they rejoined the team in 1992, when national basketball teams welcomed NBA players. Only professionals from leagues other than the NBA were allowed to participate before, and the United States was greatly handicapped.

After the United States national team defeated the Venezuelan team 127–80 in the gold-medal game of the 1992 Olympic qualifier tournament, the Oregon National Guard made Malone an honorary member.

Malone competed in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics and earned gold medals with the US team both years. Malone averaged 8.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game, contributing to 59% of second-point field goal attempts and 59% of free-throw attempts in the 1996 Olympics. He and the remainder of the original Dream Team were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

Coaching career

Malone, a basketball assistant strength and conditioning coach at Louisiana Tech University, became director of basketball development and assistant strength and conditioning coach on May 31, 2007 and gave the university athletic department $350,000.

Malone returned to the Utah Jazz on May 29, 2013 to serve as a big man coach.

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