Moses Malone Trade
Chairman of the Boards
via Wikipedia: Moses Malone · see source
Moses Malone was an American professional basketball player who played in both the ABA and NBA from 1974 through 1995. A center, he was named NBA MVP three times, was a 12-time NBA All-Star and an eight-time All-NBA Team selection. He led the Philadelphia 76ers to an NBA championship in 1983, winning both league and Finals MVP. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.
Quick Facts
- Year acquired
- 1976
Lore & Background
Malone began his professional career out of high school after being selected in the third round of the 1974 ABA draft by the Utah Stars. He played two seasons in the ABA until the merger in 1976. He landed in the NBA with the Buffalo Braves, who traded him after two games to the Houston Rockets. Malone became a five-time All-Star in six seasons with the Rockets. After leading the NBA in rebounding in 1979, he was named league MVP for the first time. He led the Rockets to the NBA Finals in 1981, and won his second MVP award in 1982.
Reader's Guide
In the 1976–77 season, Malone played forward opposite Rudy Tomjanovich. He appeared in 82 games overall for both Buffalo and Houston and finished the season averaging 13.2 points per game with 13.1 rebounds per game, ranking second in the NBA in rebounds per game behind Bill Walton (14.4). Malone set a then-NBA record with 437 offensive rebounds in a season. The Rockets reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they lost 4–2 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Did You Know?
- Malone was the first player in modern professional basketball to enter directly from high school.
- He led the NBA in rebounding six times, including a then-record five straight seasons (1981–1985).
- He was named to the ABA All-Time Team and the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams.
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