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.
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.
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.
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.
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.