OT: NBA Legend Moses Malone Passes Away at Age 60
Papi_Chulo
Miami, FL (or the nearest big-booty club)
Three-time NBA MVP and Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Moses Malone died Sunday in Norfolk, Virginia, at the age of 60.
The Virginia medical examiner's office said Monday that Malone died of natural causes, listing the cause of death as hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Det. Jeffrey Scott of the Norfolk Police Department confirmed that Malone died in a Norfolk hotel room. Malone's body was discovered when he failed to report to a celebrity golf tournament in which he was scheduled to play.
"We are stunned and deeply saddened by the passing of Hall of Famer Moses Malone, an NBA legend gone far too soon," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "Known to his legions of fans as the 'Chairman of the Boards,' Moses competed with intensity every time he stepped on the court.
"... He was among the most dominant centers ever to play the game and one of the best players in the history of the NBA and the ABA. Even more than his prodigious talent, we will miss his friendship, his generosity, his exuberant personality, and the extraordinary work ethic he brought to the game throughout his 21-year pro career. Our thoughts are with Moses' family and friends during this difficult time."
Malone, named one of the NBA's 50 greatest players, was the Finals MVP in 1983, as he led the Philadelphia 76ers to the title.
"Moses holds a special place in our hearts and will forever be remembered as a genuine icon and pillar of the most storied era in the history of Philadelphia 76ers basketball," the 76ers said in a statement Sunday.
The 6-foot-10 center averaged a double-double -- 20.6 points per game and 12.2 rebounds -- while playing for eight teams over 20 NBA seasons and led the league in rebounding six times -- including five straight seasons from 1980-85.
His 16,212 rebounds still rank fifth on the NBA's all-time list, while his 27,409 career points rank eighth. The 12-time All-Star also holds NBA records for offensive rebounds in a career (6,731), season (587) and game (21).
"When I talked to his son [Moses Malone Jr.] this morning, he couldn't get it out," former Houston Rockets teammate John Lucas told ESPN. "I kept saying, 'What are you saying?' And he told me. ... I was shocked. Moses was one of the best people that I had ever met. ... A true professional, on and off the court."
Moses Malone Jr. told Fox 26 Houston that his father was his "best friend."
"He taught us so much about life. He came from nothing," Malone Jr. said. "He taught us how to work hard and respect people, love your family and always do the right thing. He's a good person. He was always there to help people. He cared about people who had less than him."
Malone was the first player to go pro right out of high school, signing with the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association in 1974. He played the following season for the Spirits of St. Louis before moving to the Buffalo Braves after the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.
He also played for the Rockets, 76ers (twice), Milwaukee Bucks, Washington Bullets, Atlanta Hawks and the San Antonio Spurs, with whom he finished his career during the 1994-95 season.
His No. 24 was retired by the Rockets, with whom he won the MVP in 1979 and 1982.
"Everyone in the organization is deeply saddened by the passing of Moses Malone," Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said in a statement. "Moses was a true gentleman and one of the great Rockets and greatest NBA players, of all time. He will be forever missed. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends."
Malone joined the 76ers in 1983 and added his third MVP award while leading the 76ers to that championship after making his famed "Fo', Fo', Fo'," prediction that the Sixers would win their playoff series in four-game sweeps.
He wasn't far off: The Sixers lost just one game in that postseason before sweeping the Lakers in the NBA Finals, with Malone winning finals MVP award after averaging 26 points in that postseason.
"No one person has ever conveyed more with so few words -- including three of the most iconic in this city's history," 76ers CEO Scott O'Neil said. "His generosity, towering personality and incomparable sense of humor will truly be missed."
Malone's death comes shortly after the passing after another 76ers center, Darryl Dawkins.
Malone was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 and attended the induction ceremonies for the year's class in Springfield, Massachusetts this weekend before returning to his native Virginia.
The Lakers released a statement lauding Malone.
"Moses Malone was a fierce and noble competitor, and he will always be linked with Lakers playoff history," said the Lakers' statement, also attributed to the Buss family. "We mourn his passing today and send our condolences to his family and loved ones."
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/136455…
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Darryl Dawkins was once summoned in the Philadelphia 76ers' locker room to meet a celebrity who wanted to meet the man known for dunking with backboard-breaking force.
The guest was Grammy Award winner Stevie Wonder. The entertainer is blind, yet even he could tell there was something unique about Dawkins' game.
"A guy who never saw me," a beaming Dawkins said in a 2011 interview, "gave me the name 'Chocolate Thunder.'"
The name stuck, and the rim-wrecking, glass-shattering dunks remain unforgettable -- as will the giant of a man who changed the game with them.
Dawkins died Thursday at a hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania, according to the Lehigh County coroner's office. He was 58, and even though officials said an autopsy would be performed Friday, his family released a statement saying the cause of death was a heart attack.
"Darryl touched the hearts and spirits of so many with his big smile and personality, ferocious dunks, but more than anything, his huge, loving heart," his family said.
Dawkins spent parts of 14 seasons in the NBA with Philadelphia, New Jersey, Utah and Detroit. He averaged 12.0 points and 6.1 rebounds in 726 regular-season games. His 57.2 field goal percentage is seventh best in NBA history.
"The NBA family is heartbroken by the sudden and tragic passing of Darryl Dawkins," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "We will always remember Darryl for his incredible talent, his infectious enthusiasm and his boundless generosity. He played the game with passion, integrity and joy, never forgetting how great an influence he had on his legions of fans, young and old."
Dawkins was selected No. 5 in the 1975 NBA draft by the 76ers. He was the first high school player to be taken in the first round of the draft.
Dawkins was as revered off the court as he was on it. He remained enormously popular after his playing days were done, even during his stint as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters.
He would name his dunks -- the "Look Out Below," the "Yo-Mama" and the "Rim Wrecker" among them -- and often boasted that he hailed from the "Planet Lovetron."
Jim Spanarkel played with Dawkins in Philadelphia during Spanarkel's rookie season in 1979-80. He said Dawkins often entertained reporters postgame.
"If you were a writer, he was a delight because everything that came out of his mouth was shocking or entertaining," Spanarkel said. "Win or lose, every night I could barely get to my locker."
Dawkins' shows of force unquestionably changed the game. The NBA soon went to breakaway rims and mandated that backboards be shatter-resistant.
"One night, first time he broke a backboard, and I remember going back to the locker room because there was a delay," Spanarkel said. "I remember him yelling that he broke a backboard and that he wanted to renegotiate his contract because he could break a backboard."
More tributes poured in quickly from across the league, including from the 76ers.
"Simply put, Darryl Dawkins was beloved -- by his family, friends, former teammates and his fans all over the globe," 76ers CEO Scott O'Neil said. "His endearing charm, infectious smile and unparalleled sense of humor will be sorely missed. 'Chocolate Thunder' will always have a special place in our hearts."
Injuries plagued Dawkins late in his NBA career, and he went overseas for several years to play in the Italian league. He briefly had stints in the Continental Basketball Association and the International Basketball Association. He also coached at times, at both the minor league and junior college levels.
He averaged double digits in nine consecutive NBA seasons, with his best year likely being the 1983-84 campaign for New Jersey. He averaged a career-best 16.8 points per game that season, with only foul trouble -- 386 that season, still a league record -- holding him back.
"Darryl Dawkins is the father of power dunking," Shaquille O'Neal once said. "I'm just one of his sons."
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/135260…
Their ages of 60 and 58 hit too close to home. For find reason I thought Moses Malone was much older. He was just 4 years older than I am but since he came out directly from high school I was just a freshman in high school. Makes him soon a lot older
Dawkins was not really the father of power dunking....that belongs to Gus Johnson, 6-6 forward with the Baltimore Bullets. He shattered at least three backboards in the late 60's
I adopted the 76ers as my fave team in the early 80s b/c of the popularity of Dr. J.
Moses brought his lunchpail to work and the Sixers after getting Malone finally broke thru in 1983 and won the NBA championship – that 83 Sixers team was like an All-Star team but went to shit after they inexplicably traded away Malone the next year after they had won the championship.