Karl Malone: The Definitive Story of the Mailman

Karl Malone. The name conjures images of power, consistency, and a relentless drive on the basketball court. Nicknamed “The Mailman” for his unwavering reliability, Malone wasn’t just a player; he was a force of nature.

From his humble beginnings in rural Louisiana to his iconic partnership with John Stockton at the Utah Jazz, and his multiple accolades, we’ll explore the life and career of one of the NBA’s greatest power forwards.

Malone’s journey, marked by both triumph and controversy, is a testament to his complex character and enduring impact on the sport.

His career statistics speak volumes, with 36,928 career points scored, ranking third all-time in NBA history, and records for most free throws made and attempted.

Early Life and College Career

• Growing Up in Rural Louisiana
  • Karl Malone was born on July 24, 1963, in Summerfield, Louisiana, the youngest of nine children. Raised on a farm by his single mother, Shirley, his childhood was characterized by hard work and resilience.
    He spent his early years chopping trees, hunting, and fishing, which instilled in him a powerful work ethic that would define his basketball career.
    His father, Shedrick Hay, was married to a different woman and committed suicide when Karl was 14, a fact Karl did not reveal until 1994.
• High School Success
  • Malone attended Summerfield High School, where his basketball talent began to shine. He led his team to three consecutive Louisiana Class C titles from 1979 to his senior season in 1981, setting the stage for his collegiate career.
• Louisiana Tech University
  • Despite being recruited by the University of Arkansas, Malone chose to stay closer to home, enrolling at Louisiana Tech University.
    He joined the Bulldogs basketball team in his second year after his grades were too low for freshman eligibility. Playing under coach Andy Russo, he quickly made an impact.
  • In his second season (1983-84), Malone averaged 18.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. He was an All-Southland selection in each of his three seasons.
    In 1985, he helped lead Louisiana Tech to its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. The team finished at the top of the Southland Conference with a record of 29-3, advancing to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament.

The Utah Jazz Era (1985-2003)

• Drafted and Early Years
  • In the 1985 NBA draft, the Utah Jazz selected Karl Malone with the 13th overall pick. Despite being projected to be picked much higher, Malone was taken at 13th.
    He was so sure the Dallas Mavericks would pick him at 8th that he had rented an apartment in Dallas, but instead, the Mavericks selected Detlef Schrempf.
    Under head coach Frank Layden, Malone averaged 14.9 points and 8.9 rebounds in his first season, earning a spot on the 1986 NBA All-Rookie Team. He came in third for Rookie of the Year votes.
  • On January 14, 1986, the Jazz beat the Houston Rockets 105-102, ending the Rockets’ 20-game winning streak at home, with Malone scoring 29 points.
    By his second season, he became the Jazz’s leader in both scoring (21.7 points) and rebounding (10.4 rebounds).
• The Stockton-Malone Duo
  • The 1987-88 season marked the beginning of the iconic Stockton-Malone partnership, with Malone as the foundation of the offense and John Stockton as the floor general.
    Their signature pick-and-roll play became one of the most effective and well-known offensive strategies in NBA history.
• Regular Season Dominance
  • Malone made his first All-Star Game in 1988, the first of 14 consecutive appearances. He averaged 27.1 points per game that season and also earned his first All-NBA team selection.
    In the 1988 NBA All-Star Game, Malone led the Western Conference All-Star team with 22 points. He signed a 10-year contract worth $18 million during the 1988 offseason.
  • In the 1988-89 season, Malone averaged 29.1 points, second in the NBA behind Michael Jordan, and 10.7 rebounds. At the 1989 NBA All-Star Game, Malone earned his first NBA All-Star MVP, finishing with 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists.
  • In the 1989-90 season, Malone increased his scoring to 31 points per game and his rebounding to 11.1 per game.
    On January 27, 1990, Malone scored a career-high 61 points in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. He was selected to the All-NBA First Team again.
  • From January 19 to March 4, 1991, Malone led the Jazz in scoring for 19 straight games. He averaged 29.0 points and 11.8 rebounds during the regular season and made the All-NBA First Team for the third consecutive season.
    In the 1991-92 season, he finished second in the league in scoring, averaging 28.0 points per game and made the All-NBA First Team for the fourth straight year. He scored 40 or more points in five games this season.
  • Throughout the 1990s, Malone consistently put up stellar numbers: 27.0 points and 11.2 rebounds in 1992-93, 25.2 points and 11.5 rebounds in 1993-94, 26.7 points and 10.6 rebounds in 1994-95, and 25.7 points and 9.8 rebounds in 1995-96.
    On February 4, 1993, Malone surpassed 16,000 career points, and he shared the All-Star MVP award with John Stockton in 1993, scoring 28 points and pulling in 10 rebounds.
  • In the 1996-97 season, Malone averaged 27.4 points per game, leading the Jazz to a 64-18 record and winning his first NBA Most Valuable Player award. He earned his second NBA MVP award in 1999. He was selected to the All-NBA First Team 11 times.
  • For the time Malone and Stockton played together on the Jazz (1985–2003), the two formed one of the most productive guard-forward combinations in NBA history.
• Playoff Appearances and Finals Runs
  • Malone consistently led the Jazz to the playoffs, reaching the Western Conference Finals multiple times.
  • In the 1992 NBA Playoffs, the team made the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.
    The Jazz lost to the Portland Trail Blazers in six games. In the 1994 playoffs, the Jazz lost to the Houston Rockets in five games.
  • The Jazz reached the NBA Finals in 1997, facing the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. Despite Malone’s efforts, including 37 points in Game 3 and 23 points in Game 4, the Bulls won the series in six games.
    The next season, the Jazz once again dominated. Malone averaged 27 points per game, narrowly losing his second MVP award to Jordan. The Jazz reached the finals again, facing the Bulls in a rematch.
    Malone put up 39 points in Game 5, and the Jazz beat the Bulls 83-81. However, they lost the series in six games.
• Later Years with the Jazz
  • On November 12, 1998, during the lockout, Malone said he would demand a trade from the Jazz due to a lack of respect.
    A week later, he retracted his trade demand. He won his second MVP award that season, with the Jazz going 37-13 during the shortened season.
  • Malone passed Wilt Chamberlain for second on the all-time scoring list in the 2002-2003 season, finishing his Jazz career with 36,374 points.
    In his last four seasons with Utah, Malone averaged between 20.6 and 25.5 points per game. He became a free agent in 2003, the year Stockton retired.

Los Angeles Lakers and Retirement

• Joining the Lakers (2003-2004)
  • Malone joined the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2003-2004 season, teaming up with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Gary Payton to make a championship run.
    The Lakers started the season strong, but a knee injury to Malone in December sidelined him for 39 games.
• 2004 NBA Finals
  • Malone returned by the end of the season, and the Lakers reached the NBA Finals, facing the Detroit Pistons. However, Malone injured his knee in Game 3, and the Lakers were defeated in five games.
• Retirement
  • After his season with the Lakers, Malone became a free agent. Due to knee surgery and personal issues with Kobe Bryant, Malone decided not to return for another season.
  • He officially announced his retirement on February 13, 2005, after 19 seasons in the NBA. The Utah Jazz retired his jersey number 32 on March 23, 2006, and unveiled a bronze statue of him outside the EnergySolutions Arena.

V. Olympic Career

• Malone won gold medals with the U.S. men’s national basketball team at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics.
  The 1992 team, known as the “Dream Team,” was the first Olympic team to feature active NBA players. In the 1996 Olympics, he averaged 8.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.
• Malone was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 as part of the 1992 Olympic team. Prior to 1992, only professional athletes from leagues other than the NBA were allowed to compete, which greatly disadvantaged the U.S..
• Following the 1992 Olympics, Malone expressed opposition to Magic Johnson’s return to the NBA after testing positive for HIV, which diverged from the support for Johnson from his Olympic teammates and the NBA.

Post-Playing Career

• Coaching
  • Malone joined the staff of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team in 2007, serving as director of basketball promotion and assistant strength and conditioning coach.
    He also donated $350,000 to the university athletic department. In 2013, Malone returned to the Utah Jazz to work as a big man coach.
• Business Ventures
  • Malone owns several businesses, including Teriyaki Grill, Eskamoe’s Frozen Custard & More, and Arby’s restaurants in Ruston, Louisiana.
    He also owns car dealerships in Utah and Louisiana, and three Jiffy Lube franchises in Utah. He is also a part-owner of Burger King franchises in Utah and Idaho.
• Acting and Entertainment
  • Malone has made appearances in films such as Rockwell (1994), Soul Plane (2004) and an episode of Brother’s Keeper. He had a guest appearance on the show Static Shock and has a recurring role in a skit on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
  • In 1998, after the NBA Finals, Malone participated in a professional wrestling match at WCW’s Bash at the Beach event with Dennis Rodman.

Personal Life and Controversies

• Family
  • Malone married Kay Kinsey, winner of the 1988 Miss Idaho USA pageant, on December 24, 1990. They have four children: Kadee, Kylee, Karl Jr. “K.J.”, and Karlee. K.J. played football at LSU and was invited to the 2018 NFL Combine.
• Paternity Issues
  • In 1998, it was revealed that Malone had been a defendant in paternity lawsuits from the late 1980s. He was found to be the father of twins Cheryl and Daryl Ford by Bonita Ford, and Demetress Bell by Gloria Bell.
    • Malone was 17 when twins Daryl and Cheryl Ford were born, and 20 when Demetress Bell was born. Gloria Bell was 13 when she gave birth to Demetress.
      In 1998, Malone met the Ford twins for the first time since visiting them in the hospital after they were born. He did not meet Bell at that time.
    • The Tribune reported that a blood test indicated a high probability of Malone being the father of Bell and the Ford twins.
      Malone settled the lawsuits without acknowledging paternity. By the fall of 1998, Malone accepted his paternity of the Ford twins, and his wife Kay said they were members of the Malone family.
    • Demetress Bell, has played in the NFL, and did not have a relationship with Malone until he was an adult.
  • In 2018, Malone reflected on his relationship with his older children, admitting he didn’t handle it right.
• Religion and Politics
  • Malone has identified as a Baptist, but his wife and children are Catholics. He is said to have served as godfather to Samuel, the son of David Stockton, who are devout Catholic.
  • Malone has made political donations to both Republicans and Democrats. He donated to the 2004 campaign of President George W. Bush and the 2004 U.S. Senate campaign of Lisa Murkowski. He also donated to the campaign of Jim Matheson, a Democrat.
  • Malone has served on the board of directors of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA).
• Outdoor Life
  • Malone is an avid hunter and fisherman. He owns a summer home near the Kenai River in Alaska.
• Public Image
  • Malone is known for frequently referring to himself in the third person. He has appeared in television commercials for LA Gear sneakers, Starter, Morris Air Service, Upper Deck, and Burger King. A cereal dedicated to him, MVP Flakes, was produced in 2000.
    • Vanessa Bryant has accused Malone of multiple incidents of sexual harassment.

Legacy and Conclusion

Karl Malone’s impact on the NBA is undeniable. Known as “The Mailman” for his consistent and reliable performance, he is considered one of the greatest power forwards in the history of the league.

With two NBA Most Valuable Player awards, 14 NBA All-Star selections, 11 All-NBA First Team selections, and two Olympic gold medals, his accolades are numerous. His scoring prowess and rebounding dominance made him a force on the court.

His partnership with John Stockton at the Utah Jazz remains one of the most iconic in basketball history. Together, they perfected the pick-and-roll, leading the Jazz to numerous playoff appearances and two NBA Finals runs.

While a championship eluded him, Malone’s consistent excellence and longevity have secured his place among the NBA’s elite.

Despite his accomplishments on the court, Malone’s legacy is also marked by controversies, including paternity issues and accusations of sexual harassment. These incidents have sparked discussions about his personal life and the responsibilities of public figures.

Karl Malone is a complex figure, both admired for his basketball talent and scrutinized for his personal life. He remains one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history and a testament to the power of consistency and determination.

Though his journey has had its share of controversies, there’s no denying his lasting impact on the sport.