On this day in 1985, Karl Malone made his debut for the Utah Jazz at home against Houston. The Rockets won 112-108. One of the greatest power forwards to play the game, Malone was dubbed “The Mailman” because he always delivered in the post. Malone played 19 seasons in the NBA, but he is most remembered for his 18 seasons spent with the Utah Jazz. Drafted in 1985 as the 13th pick, Malone helped the Jazz become one of the fiercest teams in the league. In 1997, Malone was named the league MVP after averaging 27.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.4 steals. Malone led the Utah Jazz to their first ever finals appearance in that same year. Malone averaged 28.3 points and 10.3 rebounds in the finals series, but lost 4-2 to the Chicago Bulls. Although Malone would never win an NBA championship, his other accolades were more than enough to secure his legacy. Malone is a 2x NBA MVP, 11x All-NBA First Team (tied with Kobe Bryant for 2nd most), 3x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 2x Olympic gold medalist and 14x NBA All-Star. Malone was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 and his no.32 was retired by the Utah Jazz.
Today in Sports History: October 25
