Mailman Malone announces
retirement
Karl Malone, the second highest scorer in NBA history and twice
league Most Valuable Player, ended his career on Feb 13 where it
all began with the Utah Jazz.
Voted one of the 50 greatest players of all-time, the 41-year-old
forward officially announced his retirement to bring the curtain
down on his Hall of Fame career with 36,928 points, second behind
only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387).
Known to fans around the world as the "Mailman", Malone spent 18 of
his 19 seasons in a Jazz uniform, teaming up with guard John
Stockton to form one of basketball's most lethal
partnerships.
"The reason we're here is for me to announce my retirement and make
it official," said Malone in a news conference at the Delta Center
in Salt Lake City.
"I grew here as a 'Jazzman'. If I'm fortunate enough to go into the
Hall of Fame, I will go in as a 'Jazzman', with the old uniform and
not the new one."
In an attempt to claim the NBA title that eluded him throughout his
career, Malone signed on with the Los Angeles Lakers last season,
joining forces with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton
in a 'dream team' line-up.
But his championship dream ended in a nightmare when the Lakers
lost to the Detroit Pistons in five games in the NBA Finals.
Following reconstructive knee surgery in the off-season, Malone
considered signing with another team before eventually deciding to
end his career.
"The all-time scoring title is not a big concern for me," he said.
"The thing that will stick with me for the rest of my life is not
winning a championship, I'm not going to lie to you.
"That was my ultimate goal, but that was a team goal, not an
individual goal."
Malone said he had discussions with the San Antonio Spurs about
joining the Western Conference leaders this season in one
last-ditch attempt to land the title.
"I did visit San Antonio on the way back home but when I got on the
plane I knew that it was done, it was time," he said. "Because I
look at basketball as 100 percent mentally and 100 percent
physically.
"If I can't bring you 200 percent, for me, I can't bring you
anything."
Malone leaves with his name sprinkled through the record
books.
He is one of two players (the other being Jerry West) to average at
least 25 points in 11 consecutive seasons, the only player in
league history to be named to the All-Star team 11 times and he led
the league in free throws made a record eight times.
Malone ranks second all-time in minutes played and field goals
made, and fourth in games played.
