Moses Malone

Moses Eugene Malone Sr. was a professional American basketball player. Born on March 23, 1955, Malone played as a center in the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association. He died on September 13, 2015, in Norfolk, Virginia. Malone played for several teams in the ABA and NBA throughout his 21-year-long professional basketball career. He won the NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983. Apart from that, Moses was a 12-time NBA All-Star and an 8-time All-NBA Team member. Before entering the ABA league, Moses Malone played high school basketball. He became the first player to enter the ABA directly from high school.

Moses Malone Early Life

Moses Malone was born and raised in Petersburg, Virginia. He was the only child of his parents. His father was an alcoholic, and he didn’t offer any contribution to raising his child. Moses’ mother, Mary took care of him alone, and she forced her husband to leave their home due to his bad habit of alcohol. Later, Malone’s father moved to Texas. Moses Malone then attended his high school and joined the ABA league after his education.

Moses Malone's NBA Journey

Before proceeding with his NBA journey, Moses Malone played in the ABA for a couple of years. He was drafted by the Utah Stars in the 1974 ABA draft. With this, Malone also became the first player to join the ABA directly from high school. He signed a USD 1 million deal with the Utah Stars for five years to start his career in the 1974-75 season. He averaged 22.7 points, 17.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in the 1975 ABA playoffs. Later, Malone was traded to the Spirits of St. Louis in the same league. Collectively, Moses averaged 17.2 points and 12.9 rebounds each game in his two seasons in the American Basketball Association.

In 1976, Moses Malone was traded to the Buffalo Braves but he played only two games for them. Consequently, Moses was further traded to the Houston Rockets in the same year. He played 82 games for both the Buffalo Braves and Houston Rockets and averaged 13.2 points and 13.1 rebounds per game in the season. The Houston Rockets competed in the Eastern Conference Finals but lost to the Philadelphia 76ers (4-2).

In the 1977-78 season, Malone missed the final 23 games since he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right foot. Meanwhile, he improved his scoring to 19.4 points per game to earn his first appearance in the NBA All-Star Game in 1978. Moses acquired the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in the 1978-79 season. Also, he was voted to the All-NBA First Team and the All-Defensive Second Team. In a game against the New Orleans Jazz, Malone secured a career-high 37 rebounds on February 9.

In the 1979-80 season, Moses was named an All-Star for three consecutive seasons and named to the All-NBA Second Team. He made his first appearance in the NBA Finals in 1980-81. On March 11 against the Warriors, Moses scored 51 points. In a decisive Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, he posted 36 points and 11 rebounds to help the Rockets enter the 1981 NBA Finals. However, the Rockets lost to the Boston Celtics in the finals.

Malone averaged 31.1 points and 14.7 rebounds alongside gaining his second MVP award in the 1981-82 season. In September 1982, Malone signed an offer sheet with the Philadelphia 76ers for six years. In the 1982-83 season, the Philadelphia 76ers lost only one game in the postseason and went on to beat the Lakers in the NBA Finals. He averaged 26 points and 15.8 rebounds in 13 playoff games. The 76ers traded Malone and Terry Catledge to the Washington Bullets soon after the 1985-86 season. He also earned his 10th consecutive All-Star Game award along with All-NBA Second Team.

Moses Malone signed a deal with the Atlanta Hawks before the 1988-89 season. He averaged 20.2 points and 11.8 rebounds in the season to become the first and only player to average above 20 points and 10 rebounds for four different teams in the NBA. Under a two-year agreement, Malone joined the Milwaukee Bucks in 1991. In all 82 games, Moses averaged 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds. In 1993, Moses Malone returned to the Philadelphia 76ers. He played 55 games as a reserve and averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds. The center joined his last NBA team, the San Antonio Spurs, in 1994-95.

Moses Malone Education

Moses Malone attended Petersburg High School in Petersburg. He joined and played basketball for his school’s team Crimson Wave. Malone demonstrated remarkable game skills and potential to lead his team to back-to-back Virginia State Championships. Also, his team stayed undefeated in his final two years. Malone signed a deal to play college basketball for the University of Maryland.

Moses Malone Championship

Moses Malone was an NBA champion (1983). He played in the ABA and NBA both in his over 20 years of professional career. He appeared in two NBA Finals in his entire career. His first NBA Finals appearance was in the 1980-81 season when he was playing for the Houston Rockets. However, the Rockets lost the finals to the Boston Celtics. Secondly, Malone appeared in the NBA Finals in the 1982-83 season while playing with the Philadelphia 76ers. This time, they took over the opponent Los Angeles Lakers in the finals.

Moses Malone Awards and Achievements

Moses Malone's Net Worth

Moses Malone’s net worth was estimated to be around USD 5 million, according to some online sources. He was a retired professional NBA basketball player who played for different teams both in the ABA and NBA. In addition to his professional career, Malone also earned a fortune from brand endorsements and other ventures.

Moses Malone Contract

Moses Malone signed a five-year deal worth USD 1 million with the Utah Stars to commence his ABA career. Later, he agreed to an agreement with the Spirits of St. Louis in the same league. Malone signed a contract with the Buffalo Braves in the NBA in 1976. However, he joined the Houston Rockets the same year later. Moses signed an offer sheet worth USD 13.2 million for six years with the Philadelphia 76ers. He had a two-year contract with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1991 but returned to the 76ers in 1993. In 1994, Malone signed an agreement with the San Antonio Spurs.

Moses Malone Family

In the family, Moses had his mother, Mary, as well as his father, who was an alcoholic. He was the only child of his parents. He married Alfreda Gill, and together, they shared two kids, Moses Eugene Jr. and Michael Malone. However, Malone divorced her in 1992.

Moses Malone Wife

Moses Malone tied the knot with Alfreda Gill. They gave birth to two children named Moses Eugene Jr. and Michael Malone. But Gill sued for divorce in 1991, and the application was accepted in 1992. Later, Moses dated Leah Nash. They met in 2006 but didn’t marry. Malone and Nash shared a kid named Micah Francois Malone. Micah was only 6 when his father succumbed to death in 2015.

Moses Malone Dad

The name of Moses Malone’s father is unknown. As per available information, he was a drunker and had disputes with the rest of the family. His wife (Moses’ mother) Mary forced him to leave the home following his alcohol use. Later, Moses’ father left the home and shifted to Texas.

Moses Malone Shoes

Moses Malone usually wore Nike shoes throughout his NBA career. He had signed a deal with the brand to endorse their footwear on and off the court.