Karl Malone

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Lore & Background

Malone played college basketball for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. In his three seasons, he helped the Bulldogs to their first NCAA tournament in 1984 and to first place in the Southland Conference in 1985. The Utah Jazz selected him in the first round of the 1985 NBA draft with the 13th overall pick. Malone appeared in the playoffs every season in his career, including the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998 with the Jazz. He played his final season with the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he played his third Finals in 2004. Malone also competed with the United States national team in the Summer Olympic Games of 1992 and 1996; in both years he won gold medals. In 1996, as part of the NBA's 50th Anniversary, Malone was honored as one of the 50 greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team. In October 2021, Malone was again honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. After retiring from the NBA, Malone joined the staff of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in 2007 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 twice – for his individual career, and as a member of the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team. Malone is often considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history, but his personal conduct has attracted criticism following revelations that, while attending college at Louisiana Tech, he impregnated a 13-year-old. No statutory rape charges were filed.

In Their Own Story

In 1992, Karl Malone joined the first U.S. Olympic basketball team to feature active NBA professionals. The team, later known as the "Dream Team," steamrolled opponents and captured the gold medal in Barcelona. Malone's bruising inside game and relentless rebounding made him a constant threat. Four years later, in 1996, Malone returned to the Olympics in Atlanta, leading a new generation of stars to another gold medal. He finished his Olympic career with two gold medals, having never lost a game on the international stage.

Reader's Guide

Karl Malone is a retired NBA power forward known for his scoring, rebounding, and durability. He spent most of his career with the Utah Jazz, forming a legendary pick-and-roll partnership with John Stockton. He led the Jazz to two NBA Finals but lost both to the Chicago Bulls. He also won two Olympic gold medals with the U.S. national team in 1992 and 1996. He was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team in 1996 and the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

Did You Know?

• Malone's Olympic career began in 1992, not 1984; he won gold medals in 1992 and 1996.
• Malone was selected 13th overall in the 1985 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz.
• He scored a career-high 61 points in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks on January 27, 1990.
• Malone was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice in 2010: for his individual career and as a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team.