Tag: Karl Malone

The oldest players to win NBA Player of the Month

Aside from becoming the first player to score 50,000 points between the regular season and the playoffs, LeBron James achieved another feat on Tuesday by becoming the oldest player to win Player of the Month, besting the previous record set by Karl …

Aside from becoming the first player to score 50,000 points between the regular season and the playoffs, LeBron James achieved another feat on Tuesday by becoming the oldest player to win Player of the Month, besting the previous record set by Karl Malone back in 2000. All in all, the 21-time All-Star has earned the award on 41 occasions, more than doubling Kobe Bryant‘s 17.

See the 20 oldest winners below:

Celtics champ, broadcaster Cedric Maxwell counters Dr. J’s all-time great list with his own

With the 2023 NBA offseason here in full swing, a fair amount of attention tends to turn toward the history of the league.

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With the 2023 NBA offseason here in full swing, a fair amount of attention tends to turn toward the history of the league in the absence of new deeds to analyze on the court or in roster construction. And in the wake of Philadelphia 76ers legend Julius “Dr. J” Erving putting out an all-time list of NBA greats, others have started to do the same.

Among them are former Boston Celtics championship forward and current broadcaster Cedric Maxwell broke down his list compared to Dr. J’s on his eponymous CLNS Media podcast with cohost Josue Pavon. The names on Erving’s list are Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor along with more modern era players Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Karl Malone.

To hear who Maxwell put on his all-time great list, check out the clip embedded below.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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A.C. Green: Anthony Davis has a little Dirk Nowitzki and Karl Malone in him

Former Laker A.C. Green made an interesting comparison between Anthony Davis and two star power forwards from yesteryear.

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When he’s healthy, Los Angeles Lakers superstar big man Anthony Davis is one of the NBA’s very best players. But he is also one of its unique players.

At 6-foot-10, he has the type of guard skills rarely seen in a player his size. But he can also bang down low like a traditional big man. And, of course, he is a beast defensively and on the boards, which Lakers opponents saw firsthand in the 2023 playoffs.

Former Lakers forward A.C. Green was asked by Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson while on “Scoop B Selects” who in his era reminded him of Davis. Green responded by comparing Davis to Dirk Nowitzki and Karl Malone.

“A.D. has a little bit of Dirk Nowitzki in him,” said Green. “He has a little bit of Karl Malone from a power standpoint at times in the paint. He plays big and dominant, but he was one of those big guys that almost was the big trend. Kevin Garnett, who can be powerful but also has that perimeter, he’s got his own little teeth in his own little niche, so you gotta like that.”

Garnett is another former big man who is at least somewhat comparable to Davis because of his all-around game, athleticism and defensive dominance. However, Davis may be a better scorer than Garnett was. Garnett never averaged 25 points a game in a season, something Davis has done five times in 11 years.

The NBA should be ashamed for honoring Karl Malone during All-Star Weekend

If the NBA is going to advocate for social justice, they should not align themselves with Karl Malone.

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“I hated Karl Malone so much before I had a great reason — I only had good ones.”

That was how HBO’s Bomani Jones opened his monologue about former Jazz big man Karl Malone, who was honored at this year’s NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake is where Malone played the majority of his professional career, and NBA franchises typically honor their most accomplished players when they host an All-Star Weekend.

As such, the big man was one of the judges during the dunk contest. He also received praise from LeBron James and a photo with LeBron and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This was the second year in a row that he was put under the spotlight. Last year, Malone was also honored during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game as one of the 75 greatest players of all time.

During his segment, Jones explained he didn’t like Malone because he was widely considered a dirty player who was known for throwing violent elbows at other players. But there was a gasp from his live studio audience when he reminded them Malone impregnated his 13-year-old neighbor, Gloria Bell, when he was 20.

Blood tests showed a 99.3 percent probability Malone was the father of Demetress Bell, per AP.

The family could have filed criminal charges against Malone for impregnating a minor because, in Louisiana, an individual could not consent to sex until the age of 17. While statutory rape could have carried a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, Malone was a “neighborhood kid”, so they didn’t press charges.

His actions are absolutely heinous and should make it hard for the NBA to look themselves in the mirror after honoring this man two years in a row. But the story doesn’t stop there for Malone and his awful shortcomings.

When the child’s grandparents filed a lawsuit in 1985 requesting $200 a week to help their daughter raise their son, Malone did not respond, despite his career earnings topping $104 million. He was ordered to pay $125 per week in child support, but he appealed, eventually reaching a settlement that did not require him to acknowledge that he was the father.

Bell, who was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 2008 and played in the NFL until 2013, said Malone told him he would have to “make it on his own” and that it was “too late” for him to be his father. Malone didn’t have his first father-son interaction with Bell until 2014 when the former NFL lineman was already 30 years old.

These are nauseating actions, but Malone’s history of neglect didn’t just affect Bell.

Bonita Ford, who dated Malone when they were in high school, filed a paternity lawsuit against Malone in 1989 when her twins, Daryl and Cheryl, were 8 years old. Three years later, Malone was found in contempt of court after he refused to submit DNA blood tests. This case, too, was resolved out of court.

Malone first reached out to the twins in 1998 when they were touted 17-year-old basketball recruits. (Both later played at Louisiana Tech, Malone’s alma mater, and Cheryl became a three-time WNBA champion and four-time WNBA All-Star.)

When reflecting on these decisions in 2018, Malone told Deseret News that he “didn’t handle it right” and added that the responsibilities seemed “overwhelming” to him.

This weekend, Malone added more thoughts about his own reputation (via Salt Lake Tribune):

“As players, we hear what’s written about us or said about us,” Malone acknowledged.

So then, what does he think of the more negative perception of him now?

“I’m not discussing any of that backlash. I don’t care,” he said defiantly. “That’s my life, that’s my personal life, and I’ll deal with that like I’ve had to deal with everything. So, whatever.”

He’s aware of the shifting narrative, but has no thoughts about it?

“Whatever. I’m human.”

But it was not just how Malone handled his personal life off the court that is troubling.

It was also his interpersonal relationships with other NBA players — and cuts much deeper than the elbow that required Isiah Thomas to get 40 stitches.

Malone was the most outspoken player in the league about not wanting to play against his former Team USA gold medal running mate Magic Johnson after the five-time NBA champion was diagnosed with HIV.

Despite the fact players weren’t at risk of contracting the disease by simply playing on the same court, Johnson said Malone’s comments in 1992 almost prevented him from returning to the game.

Then, in 2004, per ESPN, Malone made “several inappropriate comments” to Kobe Bryant’s wife, Vanessa. According to Malone’s agent, Dwight Manley, Malone said he was “hunting for little Mexican girls” because he was wearing a cowboy hat and cowboy boots.

Over a decade later, Malone said that Bryant had a “standing offer” to fight him if he still had an issue with what he said to Vanessa. Malone has a long history of deeply disturbing decisions like this, and they shouldn’t be ignored.

Malone should not be an ambassador for the game of basketball when he has carelessly and repeatedly hurt people in deeply impactful ways. The Jazz and the NBA should be embarrassed for trotting him out as if he deserved celebration.

If the NBA is going to advocate for social justice, they should not align themselves with Malone.

The Tip-Off

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

NBA content from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James shared a classy moment before the NBA All-Star Game. Here is more from my colleague Mike Sykes:

“Antetokounmpo has continued to reach his apex as a player and become widely considered the best player in the NBA by so many, but James has not been quick to let that crown go.

Giannis continues to have to snatch it from him. And we’ve quite literally seen that play out on the court.

Yes, obviously, that’s what sports are. But sometimes that can bleed over into real life and strain relationships between two players. So, naturally, one might think that’s happened here with James and Antetokounmpo.

But that doesn’t seem to be the case. At least, not after what Giannis told LeBron at the start of All-Star weekend on Friday.

The Bucks’ All-Star told James he was his biggest fan and it was such a cool moment between the two.”

Team Giannis finally beat Team LeBron in the All-Star Game on Sunday.

Shootaround

(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

—Mac McClung had the classiest answer about potentially defending his Dunk Contest throne

— Jayson Tatum literally pump-faked a shot during the 3-Point Contest and fans couldn’t believe it

— Kyrie Irving had a fascinating way of covering the Nike logo on his shoes during the All-Star Game

— Charles Barkley says the Warriors are ‘cooked’ in heated exchange with Draymond Green

Jamal Murray joked that John Stockton couldn’t score like him, and he’s absolutely right

Jamal Murray already has three times as many 30-point performances.

When you rank the best guard and big pairings in NBA history, who are the first names that come to mind?

Most basketball fans will probably list some of the greats like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob Cousy and Bill Russell, or John Stockton and Karl Malone.

If you’re receiving comparisons to any of those legends, you’re probably doing something right.

David Adelman, the assistant coach for the Nuggets who is filling in for Mike Malone after the head coach entered the league’s health and safety protocols, mentioned Denver’s star duo of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic alongside the likes of longtime Utah Jazz stars Stockton and Malone.

It was obviously meant as a compliment considering Stockton and Malone are both Hall of Famers who made 24 combined All-Star appearances. Murray, however, made an important observation about the comparison.

Murray smiled and said that he didn’t think Stockton could score as well as he can for the Nuggets, and he isn’t wrong!

Stockton averaged 13.1 points per game during his career whereas Murray has eclipsed that in each of his five professional seasons as a regular starter for the Nuggets.

During the 1,504 regular-season games that he played during his career, the Jazz guard notched at least 30 points on 11 occasions. Murray, meanwhile, has played just 383 regular-season games and he has already recorded three times as many 30-point performances.

Murray, similarly, has scored 6,353 points during his NBA career thus far. After the same number of games in the NBA, Stockton had logged 3,834.

Stockton, of course, is widely considered one of the best passers and most productive playmakers in league history. Murray, however, was well within his right to note the difference in comparative scoring prowess.

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LeBron James achieves another historic milestone vs Wizards

LeBron James put yet another notch on his belt on Saturday when he reached a very important career milestone.

Although the Los Angeles Lakers are suffering through a miserable season, LeBron James has been having himself a tremendous year.

Coming into Saturday’s game versus the Washington Wizards, he was averaging 29.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. He has a real shot at winning the scoring title, which would be quite an accomplishment for a 37-year-old with tons of mileage like him.

Less than a week ago, he became the first player in NBA history to reach 30,000 points, 10,000 assists and 10,000 rebounds. Now, against the Wizards, James has surpassed Karl Malone to move into second place on the NBA’s career scoring list.

He did so by scoring 38 points on 16-of-29 shooting from the field, to go along with 10 rebounds and six assists.

The big moment came with 5;20 remaining in the second quarter when he made a layup to move past the Mailman.

Unfortunately, James’ latest accomplishment was shaded by the fact that his team fell apart in the final 14 minutes or so and fell to the Wizards, 127-119.

The sad part of James’ remarkable individual season is that plenty of people may not appreciate it given how terrible the Lakers have been as a team.

18 Lakers selected to NBA 75th Anniversary Team

The Los Angeles Lakers had 18 players, both current and former, selected to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.

The 2021-22 NBA season marks the 75th anniversary of the league, which is an astonishing milestone for any league.

To celebrate, the NBA has been acknowledging legends of the game both current and former in a variety of ways.

For the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, the league named 75 of the league’s best players in batches of 25.

The Los Angeles Lakers had 18 players make the list. For a franchise with such a rich history, being one of the most represented teams on the list was expected.

LeBron James was among those selected, and he shared his reaction to the news on Twitter.

From James and more, here is the full list of Lakers that made the team:

Lakers news: LeBron James joins Kareem and Malone with 35k points

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone as the only players to score 35,000 points in NBA history.

With a free throw during the second quarter of Thursday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, LeBron James became the third player in NBA history to score 35,000 points or more in his NBA career, joining Karl Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. LeBron’s milestone was one of few highlights of the first half for the Los Angeles Lakers as the Brooklyn Nets dominated them en route to a 64-53 halftime lead. LeBron led all scorers in the first half with 17 points but it was not enough for the Lakers to keep pace with the Nets, who came into Thursday with a four-game win-streak.

James was excellent for the Lakers in the first half but the L.A. defense looked very weak against the Nets as James Harden and Kyrie Irving had their way inside the 3-point line while creating excellent looks for their teammates.

Brooklyn was 11 for 21 from the 3-point line in the first half and the Lakers have to slow down their offensive attack if they hope to avoid another home loss.

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