The 1990s were mostly remembered as the era of Michael Jordan. However, perhaps the second-best player in that era was Karl Malone.
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The Mailman was a force to be reckoned with. The Utah Jazz legend played 19 seasons in the NBA, where he was consistently one of the best players on the court.
Unfortunately, he is often overlooked in the GOAT conversation due to his lack of rings. However, his former coach believes he is right up there with the likes of Jordan simply because of his unmatched work ethic.
Former Jazz coach claims Karl Malone is on the same level as Michael Jordan and Larry Bird in terms of work ethic
Karl Malone was one of the most dominant forces in NBA history. The Hall of Famer was an absolute legend and led his team, the Utah Jazz, to two finals appearances.
However, he is constantly criticized for being unable to win a championship. Something that has lowered his stock in the GOAT conversation. That being said, his former coach, Frank Layden, has always believed in Malone’s greatness.
Even back in 1988, he told Sports Illustrated that the Mailman was on the same level as MJ and Larry Bird simply because of his incredible work ethic.
“Karl wishes there were 200 games a year. Jordan doesn’t get tired. Bird doesn’t. The great ones don’t… He gets stronger as the year goes on. He thrives on playing.”
Malone indeed was a perfect example of consistency. In his 19 seasons, he only had two where he played less than 80 games. A statistic that is reflected in how his career panned out.
Malone ended his NBA career as the second-highest scorer in league history
He may not have any rings to show for his legendary career, but Karl Malone has his name cemented on an all-time list. After all, The Mailman ended his career as the second-highest scorer in NBA history.
As of today, he is behind LeBron James. But, his name still stands tall. With 36,928 career points, there can be no denying his greatness.
