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Basketball Biography

Moses Malone

“Chairman of the Boards”

American · Petersburg, Virginia · Born 1 January 1955

Center
20.3
ppg
12.2
rpg
1.3
apg
1
championships

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The original one-and-done — went straight from high school to the ABA and became the greatest offensive rebounder of all time.

Moses Eugene Malone was born in Petersburg, Virginia in 1955. He signed with the Utah Stars of the ABA in 1974 directly from high school — making him one of the first players to skip college for professional basketball. His combined ABA and NBA career produced 20.3 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. He won three NBA MVP awards (1979, 1982, 1983) and one with the ABA. He won the NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983 — his sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers following his now-famous prediction of fo, fo, fo (four, four, four — sweeps in every round, which became fo, fo, fi after a fifth game in one series). He won the Finals MVP. He won 12 All-Star selections. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 and named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team. He is the all-time career offensive rebounding leader in NBA history. He averaged 17.6 offensive rebounds per game in 1978-79 — the highest single-season total ever recorded. He died in September 2015 aged 60. His career is the original template for bypassing college.

Famous For

Dominant rebounding center and 3x NBA MVP

Playing Style

How They Played

Physical post player with exceptional rebounding skills

Legacy

Lasting Impact

Hall of Fame center who revolutionized offensive rebounding

Best Known For

NBA Champion (1983)

Honours & Achievements

Career Honours

  • NBA Champion (1983)
  • Finals MVP (1983)
  • NBA MVP 3x (1979,1982,1983)
  • All-Star 12x
  • Hall of Fame (2001)
  • NBA 50th Anniversary Team
Career Journey

Timeline

1974 📌 Professional debut with Utah Stars in ABA
1979 🥇 First NBA MVP award with Houston Rockets
1982 🥇 Second NBA MVP award
1983 🏆 NBA Championship and Finals MVP with 76ers
1983 🥇 Third NBA MVP award
1995 🎯 Retirement after 21 professional seasons
2001 🥇 Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

5 common questions about Moses Malone

Moses Malone averaged 20.3 points per game in the NBA.

Moses Malone won 1 NBA Championship.

Moses Malone averaged 12.2 rebounds per game in his NBA career.

Moses Malone averaged 1.3 assists per game in his NBA career.

Moses Malone was born in 1955 in Petersburg.

Career Timeline — Moses Malone
1974
Professional debut with Utah Stars in ABA
1979
First NBA MVP award with Houston Rockets
1982
Second NBA MVP award
1983
NBA Championship and Finals MVP with 76ers
1983
Third NBA MVP award
1995
Retirement after 21 professional seasons
2001
Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame
NBA Champion (1983)
Finals MVP (1983)
NBA MVP 3x (1979,1982,1983)
All-Star 12x
Hall of Fame (2001)
NBA 50th Anniversary Team