John Stockton and Karl Malone aren’t just one of the best duos of all time, they also had one of the best friendships in the league and they still do.
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If one goes by statistics, there’s no better duo in the NBA than John Stockton and Karl Malone. They might have not won a championship together, but the Utah Jazz duo was a consistent and lethal combination for 18 years.
They might be the most consistent pair in the league’s history. The Jazz not once failed to qualify for the Playoffs since drafting Stockton in 1984 and Malone in 85’ until they played together.
They always kept the team ahead of their individual accolades. And yet without making much noise or too many highlights, Stockton became the top assist provider and steals leader of all time while Malone became the 2nd top-scorer of all time.
In their time as pick-and-roll partners, Malone averaged 25.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, while Stockton averaged 13.5 points and 10.8 assists a game. They were just the question and the answer to everything besides a championship for the Jazz. And their brotherhood until this day is as impeccable as it was then.
John Stockton would do anything for Karl Malone, they are “literally inseparable”
Those achievements were the result of some wild consistency, work ethic, love, and respect between the duo. And recently, arguably the best playmaker in basketball ever – at least according to the stats, put some light on that brilliant relationship.
“I felt there was something magical,” Stockton said of playing with Malone. “The guy read my mind. He caught everything. He finished everything. He had all my work ethic and then some. He loved the game.”
He continued, “Just one thing after another. Just kind of bond, bond, bond, bond to where now he is literally inseparable for me as a brother. We don’t see each other every day. We talk occasionally on the phone. That term is probably overused, but there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Karl Malone, and I think he feels the same way.”
LeBron James recently passed “The Mailman” on the all-time scoring list and someone might cross Stockton on the all-time assists list – which, I believe, is impossible, but there’s no chance of surpassing what that duo did as partners.
Not the 18-year Playoffs streak, not the 24-time All-Star appearances between them, or any of their individual scoring or assist record, no duo will ever do anything like that.
Sticking with each other or to a franchise for 18 long years alone itself is an achievement that is and would be unattainable in the future.
