moses malone made basketball history even before playing a game. A three-time MVP with the Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers, he was the first player to go straight from high school to the pros. Malone’s lack of experience never hurt him, as he enjoyed a 20-year NBA career. After he ended his playing career, Malone’s life was unexpectedly cut short at the age of 60. 13, 2015, but the great man never made it.
moses malone’s basketball career at aba
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moses malone went to petersburg high school in petersburg, virginia. he was the most dominant player on the basketball team that did not lose a game in his last two years. petersburg won back-to-back state titles, and malone planned to attend maryland on a basketball scholarship.
however, he was selected in the third round of the 1974 aba draft by the utah stars and decided to turn pro. As an All-Star rookie, Malone became an All-Star ABA when he averaged 18.8 points and 14.6 rebounds. The stars retired early in the 1975-76 season and Malone was sold to the Spirits of St. louis where he averaged 14.3 points and 9.6 rebounds.
After the 1975-76 season, the ABA and NBA merged, but the spirits of St. Louis was not one of the ABA teams that joined the NBA. Malone was selected in the 1976 NBA dispersal draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. the blazers later changed it to the buffalo braves. After just two games with the Braves, he was dealt to the Houston Rockets.
malone shines in the nba
In the 1977-78 season, Moses Malone was selected as an NBA All-Star, beginning a string of 12 consecutive All-Star appearances. In his first season as an all-star, Malone played just 59 regular-season games but averaged 19.4 points and 15 rebounds per game.
The following year, Malone led the league in rebounding, averaging 17.6 per game. he also averaged 24.8 points and was named the league’s most valuable player. During the 1981-82 season, Malone led the league in minutes played, averaging 42 per game. He also averaged 31.1 points and 14.7 rebounds per game and picked up his second MVP award. For five consecutive seasons from 1980-81, Malone led the league in rebounding.
Before the 1982-83 season, Malone was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. In his first year with the team, Malone again posted strong results, averaging 24.5 points and 15.3 rebounds per game. he repeated as the league’s mvp. He spent four seasons with the 76ers before being traded to the Washington Bullets. In his career, Malone averaged 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.
malone’s unexpected death
moses malone retired from the nba after the 1994-95 season. on Sept. On January 13, 2015, he was scheduled to play in a celebrity golf tournament, but was found dead in a hotel room in Norfolk, Virginia. According to ESPN Malone, the Virginia Medical Examiner’s Office said Malone died of natural causes, listing the cause of death as hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
former houston rockets teammate john lucas said he and many others were struggling with malone’s death. “When I talked to his (Moses Malone Jr.) son this morning, he couldn’t get it out,” Lucas told ESPN in 2015. “I kept saying, ‘What are you saying?’ … I was shocked. Moses was one of the best people I have ever met. … a true professional, on and off the court.”
malone’s son said his father was his best friend. He “he taught us a lot about life and he came out of nowhere”, malone jr. said. “He taught us how to work hard and respect people, love your family and always do the right thing. he is a good person. he was always there to help people. he cared about people who had less than him.”