Remembering Moses Malone: 1955-2015

Photo: Philadelphia 76ers’ center Moses Malone shoots against the Milwaukee Bucks’ Sidney Moncrief. Photo credit: Rusty Kennedy, Associated Press.

Cover photo: Moses Malone shoots a jump shot against the Atlanta Hawks. Photo credit: Scott Cunningham, NBAE, Getty Images.

The NBA world lost Moses Malone ten years ago today.

Born on March 23, 1955 in Petersburg, Va., Malone was a 19-year NBA veteran who spent his first two professional seasons in the ABA. He is one of the best rebounders in the history of the sport, and had a unique talent level and mastery of the glass.

Malone was the first player to leap directly to the pros from high school when he was drafted in the third round (28th overall) of the 1974 ABA Draft by the Utah Stars. He first suited up for the franchise on October 18, 1974. He averaged 18.8 points and 14.6 rebounds as a rookie and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting and was an ABA All-Star. It was in 1977-78 with the Houston Rockets that Malone began his reign as one of the best centers in the NBA. 

From ‘77-‘78 through to ‘88-‘89, the Chairman of the Boards - 6 feet 10 inches tall and 260 pounds - was an all-star. He averaged 24.8 points and 17.6 rebounds in ‘78-‘79 and was the 1979 NBA MVP. He also made 1st team All-NBA and 2nd team All-Defense that season. During his All-Star run, he never averaged less than 20 points and 11 rebounds per game. In his MVP campaign of ‘81-‘82, he averaged 31.1 points and 14.7 rebounds, and in ‘82-‘83 in his second consecutive MVP season averaged 24.5 points and 15.3 rebounds. He led the NBA in offensive rebounds per game each season from ‘77-‘78 to ‘83-‘84, and defensive rebounds in ‘78-‘79, ‘80-‘81, and ‘82-‘83. 

On September 15, 1982, Malone was traded from the Rockets to the Philadelphia 76ers for Caldwell Jones and a first round draft pick in 1983 (Rodney McCray). The Rockets won 46 games in Malone’s final season in Houston, and he headed to Philadelphia to join a 58-win team that had fallen in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers in the ‘82 NBA Finals.  

Malone was the ingredient that put the Sixers over the top. The team leapt to 65 wins and swept the Lakers in the ‘83 Finals. Moses with his 25.8 points and 18.0 rebounds in the series earned Finals MVP. He led both sides in points and rebounds in three of the four games. He posted 24 points, 23 rebounds, and 3 blocks in Game 4. He outplayed his counterpart Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 23.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in the series. 

After three more seasons in Philadelphia - 22.7 points and 13.4 rebounds, 24.6 points and 13.1 rebounds, and 23.8 points and 11.8 rebounds - Malone headed to Washington for two seasons with the Bullets in which he averaged 24.1 points and 11.3 rebounds and 20.3 points and 11.2 rebounds. In his final all-star season of ‘88-‘89 with the Atlanta Hawks, the 34-year-old registered 20.2 points and 11.8 rebounds. The following season in ‘89-‘90, Malone averaged a double-double for the twelfth and final time - 18.9 points and 10.0 rebounds. In his last season in Atlanta, Malone’s minutes decreased to 23.3 from 33.8. He averaged 10.6 points and 8.1 rebounds in ‘90-‘91 and finished sixth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. In ‘91-‘92, Malone, now a Milwaukee Buck, posted 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds in 30.6 minutes per game (77 starts in all 82 games). 

Malone spent ‘92-‘93 with the Bucks, ‘93-‘94 with the Sixers, and ‘94-‘95 with the San Antonio Spurs. 

In 21 pro seasons, Malone averaged 20.3 points 49.5% on 14.3 attempts) and 12.3 rebounds in 34.0 minutes per game. In his 19 NBA seasons, he averaged 20.6 points (49.1% on 14.5 attempts) and 12.2 rebounds in 33.9 minutes per game. He averaged 24.0 points and 15.0 rebounds in 464 career games (38.3 minutes) with the Rockets and with the Sixers averaged 21.0 points and 12.0 rebounds in 357 games (33.1 minutes). 

At his best, Malone was consistent, around 25 points per game and 15 rebounds per game. His three MVP awards are tied with Nikola Jokic, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson for the fourth most in history. He is one of thirteen players to win back-to-back MVPs. Four times, he made 1st team All-NBA (1979, 1982, 1983, 1985) and four times made the 2nd team (1980, 1981, 1984, 1987). He won six rebounding titles, and five consecutive from 1981-85. 

Malone was the backbone to a Sixer title team that boasted an impressive lineup including Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks, and Andrew Toney. In 2016 on Malone’s birthday, Erving discussed in a story with Sports Illustrated the underrated Malone, who was one of four former teammates that Erving would call on their birthdays - Darryl Dawkins, Caldwell Jones, and Willie Sojourner were the others. 

“I think he was underappreciated because he did play with multiple teams and he did things his way, sort of like the Frank Sinatra of basketball. He had his own values and beliefs and methodology,” said Erving of his friend and former teammate. 

In his autobiography Dr. J, Erving said too of Malone: 

“At this point in the NBA, Moses is the man. He's taken over the title from Kareem as the best center in the league. Larry and Magic are still coming into their own. I'm in my twelfth season. Moses is the alpha dog."

In 2001, Malone was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1998, the Rockets retired his No. 24. The Sixers retired his No. 2 in November of 2019.

One of the best centers in NBA history who was a terror on the glass. The moniker “Chairman of the Boards” was never more appropriate. On the 10th anniversary of his passing, we remember Moses Malone.