Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Maloneis an American retired professional basketball player. Nicknamed "The Mailman", Malone played the power forward position and spent his first 18 seasonsin the National Basketball Associationwith the Utah Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate John Stockton. Malone also played for the Los Angeles Lakers. Malone was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, a 14-time NBA All-Star, and an 11-time member of the All-NBA first team. He scored the second most career points in NBA history,...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBasketball Player
Date of Birth24 July 1963
CitySummerfield, LA
CountryUnited States of America
I've been away for more than 20 years. The day I left was the day I was ready to come back home. I just want to thank Terry for coming back home for this event.
Even though I left for a year, I grew here as a Jazz man. If I'm fortunate enough to go into the Hall of Fame, I will go as a Jazz man.
I know what I want to do. I'm just not ready to say yet.
I'm going to take some time with my family and talk everything over. I know this: I will not disrespect the Lakers or myself by coming back if I'm not 100 percent. Not 95 percent or even 99 percent. 100 percent!
I love it the way Terry always mentions Louisiana Tech,
I'll be there, and then you bring it on. If I'm living, I'll be there. You have my word.
Everything about this just felt right. My mom died two years ago, and in our last conversation, she told me that one day I would have to step up on a grand scale and help people. I knew this was it.
After 18 years, for them to stoop to that kind of level, that's no class. And that's something I'll never forget.
But they didn't keep me up at night like Mike. You know how, when you go on road trips, the night before a game you like to check out the restaurants? Well, you couldn't do that in Chicago. You'd worry about Mike getting 60 (points). It was a good game if he only had 40.
There was a lot of red tape, and I ain't got time for that. ... FEMA didn't approve, but we did it for the people.
It's going to be all right, ... I feel it right here. My gut.'
It's not just my day. It's an NBA day, it's a Jazz day, it's a Utah day and it's an NBA fan day and I'm proud to be a part of it.
We were totally self-contained with our own food and everything. We didn't want to take even one bottle of water away from these people. When we told them we were doing this for free, they looked at us like we were crazy or something.
I just realized that not only early in my career but, if I was going to play longer, guys foul you when they get tired.