Isiah Thomas believes that Karl Malone was the reason the Utah Jazz never won a Championship. A bold claim to make, but Isiah does have a point. Karl Malone shot only 74.2% of the free throws in his career. Thomas, who is considered one of the smartest players to ever play the game, could be right about Karl being a liability for the Jazz. In an interview, in 2013, posted by ‘_clutchtime’ on Instagram, Thomas revealed his thoughts.
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Thomas was speculating as to why a team as gritty as the Utah Jazz would end up never winning a Championship. The three-time Champion believed that Karl Malone was the weak link. A below-average foul shooter, Karl was always the target of defenses. The two-time NBA MVP always seemed to come up short when it mattered the most, losing to Jordan two times in the finals.
Isiah Thomas rips Malone for 74.2% shooting
Isiah Thomas is known to be candid about his opinions. In 2013, Thomas went on NBA TV’s Open Court show to share his opinions on the Utah Jazz. While talking about the Jazz’s failure to win a Championship, the Pistons guard said,
“Utah, going back to that team. I think they had everything to win a Championship. I thought they had the system. They had the players. The toughness and the defensive mind and everything. I always felt like Malone, really was the weak link. Because he wasn’t a good foul shooter. Had he been a good foul shooter, they would have beat Chicago. I think they would have beat you [ the Rockets]. If that guy can’t make foul shots he is the weak link. He is the guy that you fouling“.
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Though Karl Malone was no scrub, Thomas does have a point. John Stockton, who was Malone’s partner in crime, was rarely fouled late in the game as he shot 82.6% from the line. Malone was undoubtedly a target for the defense, especially down the stretch of the game.
Karl Malone doesn’t regret ‘losing’ to Jordan in the Finals
Karl Malone sat down with KUTV to give an interview a few days before The NBA All-Star Game 2023. Malone was asked by the interviewer if he believed there was any unfinished business with the Bulls and Michael Jordan.
Karl answered, “I tip my hat to the Chicago Bulls as a competitor like I am. But they won. How do you handle defeat? Yes, Losing twice in the NBA Championship, I better have a hell lot of character in defeat. But I have to. That never defined me.”
Malone has truly been a sport about his final losses. The Jazz power forward will go down as possibly one of the greatest power forwards to play the game. The Mailman’s philosophy towards loss and life in general is quite inspiring.
Whether or not it’s Karl’s shortcomings that prevented the Jazz from winning is something we will never know. But what we do know is that Malone is part of an elite group of players who deserved to win a ring.
