Karl Anthony Malone (born July 24, 1963), nicknamed "the Mailman", is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 18 seasons with the Utah Jazz, and in his last season, the Los Angeles Lakers. During his tenure with the Jazz, he formed a formidable duo with his teammate John Stockton and together they led the team to two NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998, losing both times to the Chicago Bulls. Malone's 36,928 career points scored rank third all-time in NBA history and he holds the records for most free throws made and attempted, in addition to being tied for the second-most first-team All-NBA selections with Kobe Bryant (11), both behind LeBron James (13).
Malone played college basketball for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. In his three seasons, he helped the Bulldogs to their first NCAA tournament in 1984 and to first place in the Southland Conference 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 in 1997 and 1998 with the Jazz. He played his final season with the Los Angeles Lakers, 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. 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.
After retiring from the NBA, Malone joined the staff of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in 2007 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 twice – for his individual career, and as a member of the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team. Malone is often considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history, but his personal conduct has attracted criticism following revelations that, while attending college at Louisiana Tech, he impregnated a 13-year-old. No statutory rape charges were filed.
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Early life
Born in Summerfield, Louisiana, Malone was the youngest of nine children and was raised on a farm by his single mother, Shirley. Shedrick Hay, his father, was married to a different woman and raising a family with her. Shedrick committed suicide when Karl was 14, though Malone didn't disclose the suicide until 1994. As a child, Malone often worked on the farm, 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.
College career
Malone was recruited by University of Arkansas basketball coach Eddie Sutton and Louisiana Tech basketball coach Andy Russo. Originally opting for Arkansas, Malone later weighed the option to sign with Louisiana Tech, which was closer to home. This was partially influenced by his close friend and teammate Benny Anders, who had also been recruited by Arkansas, signing with the University of Houston instead. Malone ultimately signed with Louisiana Tech in April 1981. However, he was ineligible to join the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team because his grades were too low for freshman eligibility. By the end of his freshman year, he had pushed his GPA up to 2.4, making him eligible for the basketball team the following year.
In his first season with Louisiana Tech (1982–83), Malone became the first person in the Southland Conference to be named Outstanding Player and Outstanding Newcomer in the same year. In 1983, he competed in that year's Summer Universiade along with fellow future NBA player Charles Barkley. In his second season (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, 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.
Professional career
Utah Jazz (1985–2003)
In the 1985 NBA draft, the Utah Jazz 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 were going to select him with the eighth choice that he had already rented an apartment in Dallas. Instead, the Mavericks selected Detlef Schrempf. Under head coach Frank Layden, Malone averaged 14.9 points and 8.9 rebounds in his first season and made the 1986 NBA All-Rookie Team after coming in third for Rookie of the Year votes. On January 14, 1986, the Jazz beat the Houston Rockets 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 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.
By the 1987–88 season, Malone was the foundation of the offense and John Stockton 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 in the first round. In the next round, the defending champions Los Angeles Lakers, led by perennial All-Stars Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 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. In 11 playoff games in 1988, Malone averaged 29.7 points and 11.8 rebounds.
Malone signed a 10-year contract during the 1988 offseason worth $18 million. In December 1988, Jerry Sloan succeeded Layden as head coach as Layden became team president. Malone averaged 29.1 points in 1988–89, good for second in the NBA behind Michael Jordan, 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. This season marked Malone's first with the All-NBA First Team honor.
Los Angeles Lakers (2003–2004)
Malone played in the NBA for one more season, joining the Los Angeles Lakers in an attempt to win a championship. All-Star point guard Gary Payton also joined the Lakers in an attempt to win his first NBA championship, and with Malone, Payton, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, the Lakers were favorites to win the title. The No. 32 jersey Malone had worn for 19 years with the Jazz was already retired in honor of Magic Johnson, and while Johnson offered to allow Malone to wear the number, Malone ultimately declined, and instead wore a number 11 jersey. 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 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, 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 in the conference semifinals, where Malone played a critical role on defense against Tim Duncan, 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 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 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. He had knee surgery during the summer of 2004, and personal problems with Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, who prompted Malone not to return for another season with the team. The New York Knicks 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. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich 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. He was also honored 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 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 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 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 and 1996 Summer Olympics 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.
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 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
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. In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named Malone as the 16th greatest player in NBA history.
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 declined), though he was photographed with a number 32 jersey at his Lakers introductory press conference. Malone also wore number 11 for the Dream Team, as the players wore 4 to 15 to adhere to FIBA rules.
Malone has also played 193 playoff games without winning an NBA championship, the most in playoff history.
Awards and honors
NBA
2× NBA Most Valuable Player: 1997, 1999
14× NBA All-Star: 1988–1998, 2000–2002
2× NBA All-Star Game MVP: 1989, 1993
14x All-NBA Team selections:
11× All-NBA First Team: 1989–1999
2× All-NBA Second Team: 1988, 2000
All-NBA Third Team: 2001
4x NBA All-Defensive Team selections:
3× NBA All-Defensive First Team: 1997–1999
NBA All-Defensive Second Team: 1988
NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1986
50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996)
NBA 75th Anniversary Team (2021)
No. 32 retired by Utah Jazz
USA Basketball
Olympics gold medalist: 1992, 1996
FIBA Americas Championship: 1992
NBA career statistics
Other ventures
Businesses
Malone is the owner of Teriyaki Grill, Eskamoe's Frozen Custard & More, and Arby's 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, while Karl Malone Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is in Heber City, Utah. Malone previously co-owned a Toyota dealership in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Larry H. Miller Dealerships, but sold his share in 2010. He also co-owned a Honda dealership in Sandy, Utah, with John Stockton, 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 in Utah and Idaho.
Acting
Malone starred in the 1994 film Rockwell as a member of Porter Rockwell's team. He had a guest appearance as himself and as a superhero named "Pulverizer" in the Static Shock episode "Hoop Squad". Malone also made a cameo appearance as himself in the 2004 comedy film Soul Plane and appears in an episode of Brother's Keeper from 1998. He also has a recurring role in a skit called "All Alone with Karl Malone" on the television series Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Professional wrestling
After the 1998 NBA Finals, Malone and Chicago Bulls power forward Dennis Rodman participated in a professional wrestling match in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) at their Bash at the Beach event in July 1998. Malone, a wrestling fan, teamed with his friend, Diamond Dallas Page, against Rodman and Hulk Hogan. In a match that was largely panned by 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.
Personal life
Family
Malone married Kay Kinsey, winner of the 1988 Miss Idaho USA 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, 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 were born; Malone was a 20-year-old college sophomore when Bell, at age 13, gave birth to Demetress Bell. Under Louisiana law at the time, a child under the age of 17 could not consent to sexual activities, but no statutory rape charges were filed against Malone. 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. 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. 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. 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 10 year professional basketball career with the Detroit Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association.
Religion
In a 2013 interview, Malone identified as a Southern Baptist and his wife and children are Catholics. He is the godfather to the youngest son of John Stockton.
Politics
Malone donated $4,000 to the 2004 reelection campaign of President George W. Bush and $2,000 to the 2004 U.S. Senate campaign of Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska. In 2002, Malone donated $1,000 to the campaign of incumbent U.S. Representative Jim Matheson, a Democrat representing Utah's 2nd congressional district. Malone appeared on the "Great American Panel" segment of the Fox News talk show Hannity 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 plants.
Malone has served on the board of directors of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), a national firearms advocacy organization.
Outdoor life
Malone is an avid hunter and fisherman. He owns a summer home near the Kenai River in Alaska. In July 1998, Malone joined his Jazz teammates Chris Morris and Bryon Russell, some family members, corporate leadership of Q-Lube, and winners of a Q-Lube contest for a four-day fishing trip to Alaska.
Public image
Malone is known for frequently referring to himself in the third person.
He has also appeared in television commercials for LA Gear sneakers, Starter, Morris Air Service, Upper Deck, and Burger King.
A cereal dedicated to him, MVP Flakes, was produced in 2000.
Vanessa Bryant has accused Malone of multiple incidents of sexual harassment.