Three-time NBA MVP and Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Moses Malone died Sunday in Norfolk, Virginia, at the age of 60.
Det. Jeffrey Scott of the Norfolk Police Department confirmed that Malone died in a Norfolk hotel room. He said there was no indication of foul play. Malone’s body was discovered when he failed to report to a celebrity golf tournament in which he was scheduled to play.
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.
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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).
“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.”
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.
He was loved and adored by many, including fellow MVP-er, Charles Barkley:
“The man I called ‘Dad’ passed today. Words can’t explain my sadness. I will never know why a Hall of Famer took a fat, lazy kid from Auburn and…
…treated him like a son and got him in shape and made him a player.
Every time I saw him I called him ‘Dad.’ I hope he knew how much I appreciated and loved him.”
His No. 24 was retired by the Rockets, with whom he won the MVP in 1979 and 1982.
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.
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.
