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Moses Malone

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Moses Malone was one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He played the position of center, which means he worked near the basket. He was a very strong and tireless player on the court. People gave him the nickname "Chairman of the Boards." This name honored his amazing skill at rebounding. Rebounding is when a player grabs the ball after a missed shot. Malone was so good at this that he led the league in rebounds six times. He even set a record by leading the league for five straight seasons from 1981 to 1985.

Malone's way of playing was very physical and steady. He used his strength to battle for the ball under the hoop. One way he stayed successful was by growing his body. When he first started his pro career, he was somewhat skinny. He played as a forward until he bulked up enough to play center. This change helped him handle the hard work of the game. He became a master at offensive rebounding. This means he was great at catching the ball right after his own team missed a shot. He finished his career as the all-time leader in this specific skill.

His journey began in Petersburg, Virginia. He was an only child raised by his mother, Mary. Malone played high school basketball for the Petersburg Crimson Wave. His team was very successful and went undefeated in his final two years. They won two state championships in a row. In 1974, he made history by going straight from high school to professional basketball. He signed with the Utah Stars of the ABA. He was the first player in the modern era to do this.

Malone played for many different professional teams. He started in the ABA with the Utah Stars and the Spirits of St. Louis. After the leagues merged, he played in the NBA. He played for the Buffalo Braves and the Houston Rockets. While with the Rockets, he won his first two MVP awards. He also led them to the NBA Finals in 1981. Later, he joined the Philadelphia 76ers. He helped them win the NBA championship in 1983. He was named the Finals MVP for his great work.

His many awards show how much people valued his skill. He was named the NBA Most Valuable Player three times. He was also selected as an All-Star twelve times. In 2001, he was put into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This is a special place for the best players in history. Malone's career numbers are still very high today. He ranks tenth all-time in career points with 29,580. He also ranks third in total rebounds with 17,834.

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