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Size/Strength/Power/Grit/Rebounding/Scoring: Karl Malone
Take a six-foot-nine, 260 pound behemoth who looks as if he was chiseled out of granite. Then give him Herculean strength, the ability to run like a scared deer, hands like an elite tight end, an inexhaustible work ethic and nearly every other intangible necessary to be dominant, and you have Karl Malone.
It’s why so many believe he was the greatest power forward to ever play the game.
When Malone entered the league, he was anything but a finished product. He could barely hit a free throw. It was through countless hours in the gym and on the court that he was able to elevate his game to a legendary level.
Malone was all grit, sweat and fortitude. It’s why he only missed 10 games in his 18 seasons with the Utah Jazz. That’s 10 in nearly 1,800 games. That’s a hell of a lot of ice, tape and Gary Briggs’ magic spray.
Malone ended his phenomenal 19-year career as the league’s second leading scorer and sixth leading rebounder. This includes nearly 6,000 more minutes played, 8,000 more boards corralled and 13,000 more points scored than any other player in franchise history.
He also won two MVP awards, two Olympic Gold Medals, was named to 13 All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA First Teams, one All-NBA Third Team, three All-Defensive First Teams and one All-Defensive Second Team.
But what was most impressive about Malone was his evolution. He went from a bruising low-post monster that bullied his way to the hoop and dunked everything in sight to a seasoned veteran who milked the pick-and-roll for easy jumpers that he could hit from anywhere on the floor.
The turnaround/fadeaway jumper he developed later in his career was a thing of beauty, too.
While this piece is all about putting together an all time player, Karl Malone is about as close as you can get with one man.
Next: Rudy Gobert Becoming France's Human Highlight Film
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