Karl Malone, aka The Mailman, is a retired professional basketball player considered as one of the greatest power forwards to ever play the game hence his moniker, which was given to him because of his consistent delivery. The two-time NBA regular season MVP, who also garnered eleven All-NBA First Team and three NBA All-Defensive First Team selections, was revered not just for his talent but also for his durability as he maintained a high level of play well into his 40s.
Despite being able to average a double-double and making a playoff appearance in every season of his playing career, Malone was unable to win an NBA championship. This makes him arguably the most talented player to never win a ring.
Karl Malone Biography
Karl Anthony Malone was born and raised on a farm in Summerfield, Louisiana on the 24th of July 1963. He was brought up only by his mother, Shirley. His father Shedrick Hay left his mother to marry another woman. As a young boy, Malone, who was the youngest of nine children, had to contribute with work on the farm when he was not doing any curricular or extracurricular activities.
He attended Summerfield High School where he was a star on its basketball team, leading them to three consecutive titles from 1979 to 1981. Malone’s talent attracted interest from a number of colleges but his grades proved to be a problem for a number them. Schools like the University of Arkansas did not mind but Malone opted to stay close to home, so he enrolled at Louisiana Tech University which did not have a famed basketball program.
In his freshman year, Malone did not play college basketball as he worked on his grades. After making eligibility in his second year, he joined the team for the first time as a sophomore and averaged 18.7 points and 9.3 rebounds. As a junior, he helped his team to a 29-3 record as the school finished at the top of the Southland Conference. Also, for the first time in history, it qualified for the NCAA tournament. Malone maintained an All-Southland selection in all his three college basketball years as well as an NABC second-team All-American selection in his senior year.
Upon graduating, Karl Malone was selected by the Utah Jazz with the 13th overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft. In his rookie year, he averaged 14.9 points and 8.9 rebounds to make the NBA All-Rookie Team and third place on the Rookie of the Year voting list. By 1988, Malone had grown to become a very imposing player, averaging 27.7 points per game to earn his first of fourteen All-Star appearances and first of fourteen All-NBA selections.
Karl Malone played a total of 19 professional seasons; 18 with Utah and 1 in Los Angeles with the Lakers before calling time on his career. He played a total of 1,476 regular season NBA games, the fourth most by any player in history, averaging 25.0 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. In the playoffs, he appeared 193 times, averaging 24.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. While stuffing up his stat sheet in the NBA, Karl Malone was a part of the original Dream Team that won the gold medals at the 1992 and 1996 summer Olympic games.
His Net Worth
Karl Malone is said to have a net worth of around $75 million. The former baller was able to put all the money he made in his basketball playing career to good use as he owns a number of businesses, including a cattle ranch and a used car outlet. He has also taken up coaching jobs in the past, first as the director of basketball at his alma mater and then as the big man coach at the Jazz.
Karl Malone Family – Wife and Children
Karl Malone is married to 1988 Miss Idaho USA pageant winner, Kay Kinsey. The couple got married on the 24th of December, 1990. Together, they have four children – three daughters and a son. They are; Kadee, born on the 8th of November 1991, Kylee born on the 7th of April 1993, Karl Jr., born on the 8th of May, 1995, and lastly, Karlee, born sometime in 1998.
Malone has other children from previous relationships. First were twins Cheryl and Daryl Ford. They were birthed in June 1981 from his relationship with Bonita Ford. His other child is said to be former NFL player Demetrius Bell. Demetrius’ mother, Gloria Bell gave birth to him when she was just thirteen while Malone was 20. Unlike the Ford twins, Malone has never publicly accepted to be Bell’s father although he made an out-of-court settlement with the family following a paternity lawsuit.
Height, Weight, and Other Facts
Birth Name: Karl Anthony Malone
Nickname: The Mailman
Date of Birth: July 24, 1963
Place of Birth: Summerfield, Louisiana
Nationality: American
Height: 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Weight: 250 lb (113 kg)
