Posted on 09/13/2015 11:37:39 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Moses Malone, a three-time NBA MVP and one of basketball’s most ferocious rebounders, died Sept. 13 at a hotel in Norfolk, Va. He was 60.
Det. Jeffrey Scott of the police department in Norfolk confirmed the death and said there was no indication of foul play. Mr. Malone’s body was discovered when he failed to report to a celebrity golf tournament in which he was scheduled to play.
A 6-foot-10 center who made the leap right from high school to the pros, he was nicknamed the “Chairman of the Boards” and was the NBA’s career leader in offensive rebounds. He led the league in rebounds per game for five straight seasons from 1980-85 and was part of the Philadelphia 76ers’ 1983 NBA championship team.
Mr. Malone was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 and attended the induction ceremonies for the year’s class this weekend in Springfield, Mass., before returning to his native Virginia.
His staggering statistics across 21 seasons and 1,455 professional games included 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game in his combined ABA and NBA careers. He holds NBA records for offensive rebounds in a career (6,731), season (587) and game (21).
“With three MVPs and an NBA championship, he was among the most dominant centers ever to play the game and one of the best players in the history of the NBA and the [old] ABA,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.
I don’t follow basketball too closely. But wasn’t he one of the first to go from high school to the NBA, to help set a trend of bypassing playing college basketball entirely?
I think at one time, the NBA had some rules about not allowing players to play until their college class had graduated, regardless of whether a player was in college or not.
Now of course we see some like LeBron James go from high school to the NBA, and numerous players play college ball only 1 or 2 years, then go pro.
An earlier story said Mt. Malone died from a heart attack. Sad. He was only two years younger than I, but unfortunately, we both are in a prime age bracket for a coronary.
RIP
RE: But wasn’t he one of the first to go from high school to the NBA, to help set a trend of bypassing playing college basketball entirely?
Yes, he never went to college, but went on to make millions.
60 is early to check out. Certain cancers, such as prostate, are more common in very tall men. Blood clots are more dangerous also.
He was one of the first.
Then the rule for the longest time was minimum two years in college then you could file hardship exemption. If you were poor,like most top NBA prospects, you could go pro after sophomore year to help your family.
From Kevin Garnet to LeBron James you could go direct to pros again. Now one year minimum before going to pros. NBA Players Union agreed to this otherwise it would be a restraint of trade.
You can sign a contract with the Marines right after high school and be fighting in the Middle East in no time but not sign a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks. Or have a beer. Nor in many places smoke a cigar.
BTW RIP Moses
Makes room for perhaps people that could learn something...
Wikipedia says Malone signed with the Utah Stars of the ABA in '74.
And yes, he was one of the first b-ball players to forego college, and get down to business.
I'm sure the U of MD was quite saddened having to forego the sports and alumni bucks Malone would have brought in.
Yep. Malone was at the time one of only 3 (IIRC) players to play in the NBA without playing college first. Darryl Dawkins, who also recently passed away, was also one of the three. I can’t remember the name of the 3rd player.
The NBA had very strict rules about undergraduates going early back then. I don’t remember all of them, but I *think* one of them was sacrificing your remaining college eligibility if you declared for the draft. So, if you didn’t get drafted or make a team, you were hosed. Again, that’s if IIRC.
That’s Trump and Kim Davis basher, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (formerly Lou Alcindor), being “posterized” by Malone (post 7).
I think Bill Willoughby was the third. I remember that name because he was from Englewood High School here in New Jersey, and later played for the New Jersey Nets.
Wow - just a couple of weeks after Darryl Dawkins passes away, also far too young. Not a good period for former Sixers centers.
You didn’t/don’t lose your college eligibility by declaring for the draft but by signing with an agent or a professional sports contract.
I know of only one player to declare for the draft,not sign with an agent, then go back to school.
Agents set up all the workouts for teams and set up interviews with interested teams. Declaring then not signing an agent tells teams you are not very confident in your abilities nor have the commitment to make it in professional basketball.
Undrafted underclassmen go to play professional basketball in Europe,China or the NBA Developmental League. Many go on to support themselves for 10 plus years as professional athletes. If you are not good enough to play 10 years in the Italian league after declaring early for the NBA draft you made a gross overestimation of your basketball abilities.
Not exactly. He went from Petersburg (VA) High School to the American Basketball Association’s Utah Stars, in ‘74. When the ABA folded, in ‘76, the financially strongest teams (Nets, Spurs, Pacers, Nuggets) became NBA teams, and Malone joined the Buffalo Braves (now LA Clippers).
Thank you.
Artis Gilmore?
You got it. He was a year after Malone & Dawkins, but went direct to the NBA from HS (Malone went to the ABA).
R.I.P. Moses.
You brought the Sixers to “the promised land “ in 1983.
Yes, Wilt Chamberlain left Kansas after his junior year and had to play a year with the Globetrotters before he could go to the pros.
RIP to a truly great ball player.
Fo...Fo...Fo...
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