A look back into the list of NBA champions is likely to throw up a parade of super-duos. From Magic and Kareem to LeBron and AD, superstar two-man pairings have dominated headlines over the years.
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One such duo, albeit one who missed out on silverware, was the Karl Malone – John Stockton pairing at Salt Lake City. The Utah Jazz drafted Stockton and Malone in consecutive NBA drafts and set themselves up for success in the mid-1980s.
Both of them enjoyed great individual success along with the long playoff runs they got the Jazz to. The duo even featured as part of the “Dream Team” in the Barcelona Olympics. However, a couple of NBA Finals appearances are as far as the Jazz and the Malone-Stockton went, in the race for NBA supremacy.
Regardless, the duo’s presence meant that the Jazz were often contenders for the biggest honor in basketball. And their prowess was well respected, even among their peers. Contemporary superstar and NBA champion Magic Johnson was definitely a fan.
When Magic Johnson expressed his praise for the Utah Jazz duo
In conversation with NBA TV’s crew during the NBA 75th anniversary celebrations, Magic Johnson expressed his admiration for his fellow anniversary team members – Malone and Stockton. The former Lakers superstar expressed his praise in extremely kind words.
Johnson went as much as to say that they may even be “unstoppable”.
“Karl Malone, pick and roll with John Stockton. Most unstoppable duo in the pick and roll I’ve ever played against” spoke a bemused Johnson about his long-term rivals.
An MVP-caliber athlete with the potential to average over 25 ppg for a season combining with a floor general capable of setting the tempo with double-digit assists is any GM’s dream. The fact that the Jazz got hold of both of them in two consecutive first-round picks is incredible indeed.
To have a big man-guard duo who could run “unstoppable” pick-and-roll sets? Talk about hitting the jackpot. While it remains the most basic play, it continues to be the staple diet of every efficient offense.
And Stockton and Malone thrived on their pick-and-roll actions and the chemistry they developed. The Ringer even had them at No.2 on their per-season assist combos since 2000-01 despite it coinciding with the later stages of their careers.
Therefore, it is safe to say they weren’t bereft of complements. However, to get the compliment of a rival, someone who you’ve got a history with, is probably more meaningful than friendly praise.
And after making controversial statements during Magic’s HIV diagnosis, the Lakers man and the Jazz man certainly weren’t in each other’s good books. A compliment from such a rival is definitely a stellar achievement in itself.
What controversy did Karl Malone stir up with Magic at the time of his HIV diagnosis?
Despite being teammates at Barcelona, Malone didn’t seem to have as much care to give at the time Magic was diagnosed with HIV. In a really insensitive and disinformed manner, the Mailman dispatched misinformation, creating a toxic environment with respect to AIDS awareness.
“Look at this, scabs and cuts all over me. I get these every night, every game. They can’t tell you that you’re not at risk, and you can’t tell me there’s one guy in the NBA who hasn’t thought about it” stated Malone in public regarding Magic’s place in the NBA.
Magic was evidently hurt by the statements his “friend” made. “The same people that used to give you the dab and a love, hug, they weren’t there. Especially, Karl Malone, he came out publicly with it. I just played with you on the Dream team and practiced with you every single day, and now you don’t want to play against me. You could have just said that to me” said a berated Johnson.
With every anecdote, Malone slowly appears to be the villain rather than an NBA hero. Such an uninformed response is not what a responsible athlete comes up with in such an instance.
