Karl Malone - Player Profile

Player Profile

Malone is regarded as one of the best power forwards in the history of the NBA and was known as "The Mailman" for his scoring skills, speed, and consistent delivery. He collected two regular-season MVP Awards, eleven NBA First Team nominations and was also selected to the NBA All-Defensive Team three times.

Malone led the NBA in free throws made a league-record seven times. He was a physical defender and rebounder, and one of the most durable players ever in the NBA, missing a total of only five regular season games in his first 13 years in the league. He maintained a high level of play even at age 40, becoming the oldest player to both log a triple-double and to be a starter on an NBA Finals-bound team. Malone's work ethic showed prominently in his formative years in the NBA, when he raised his free throw shooting percentage from below 50% to 75%.

Malone wore number 32 for the Utah Jazz. He wore number 11 for the Los Angeles Lakers (number 32 was retired honoring Magic Johnson, though Johnson himself offered to have it unretired for Malone to wear, an offer Malone refused) and also for the Dream Team (the players wore 4 to 15 to adhere to FIBA rules).

Over 1,476 NBA games (fourth all-time), and 1,471 starts (most all-time, never coming off the bench after his rookie season), Malone scored 36,928 points (25.0 per game), second-best all-time, on .516 shooting. His high field goal percentage benefited from three factors, namely, the pick-and-roll offense; his physical power, enabling him to overpower most forwards, and his ability to run the court, allowing him to convert fastbreak dunks and lay-ups off assists by Stockton. Malone notched 10.1 rebounds and 1.41 steals per game for his career. In addition, Malone played 1,412 games with Stockton, most all time for two players on the same team, and missed just eight games out of a possible 1,442 games during his time with the Jazz (3 because of suspension).