Moses Malone was a renowned professional basketball player with a net worth of $5 million. He is regarded as one of the greatest NBA players of all time.
Moses Malone was a highly accomplished professional basketball player whose remarkable career spanned from 1974 to 1995. Prolific in his achievements, Malone is widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA players of all time. His impressive résumé featured multiple accolades, including being named NBA MVP a total of three times. Malone led the league in rebounds a staggering six times, cementing his status as a dominant force under the basket. One of his most notable achievements was winning the 1983 NBA championship. His contributions to the sport did not go unnoticed, as he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001, in his first year of eligibility. Unfortunately, Malone's life was cut short when he passed away on September 13, 2015, at the age of 60, due to complications from an apparent heart attack. Throughout his career, Malone's earnings from his salary totaled a substantial $13.9 million. His highest annual salary was earned during the 1990 season with the Atlanta Hawks. Born on March 23, 1955, in Petersburg, Virginia, Malone was primarily raised by his mother, as his father was forced out of the home due to alcohol abuse when Malone was just two years old. As an adolescent, he attended Petersburg High School, where he excelled as a basketball player for the Crimson Wave. In his final two years of high school, Malone's team achieved consecutive undefeated seasons and Virginia state championships. His exceptional skills earned him the title of National High School Player of the Year in 1974. Although Malone had initially signed a letter of intent to play collegiate basketball at the University of Maryland, he ultimately decided to turn professional instead. In the 1974 ABA draft, Malone was selected by the Utah Stars in the third round, making him the first player in modern professional basketball history chosen directly from high school. Malone's impressive first season in the ABA earned him ABA All-Star and All-Rookie honors. However, his second season was marred by a leg injury that kept him out of play entirely before the Stars collapsed 16 games into the season. After this setback, Malone was sold to the Spirits of St. Louis, with whom he concluded the 1975-76 season. His performance over his first two professional seasons averaged 17.2 points and 12.9 rebounds per game. Following the 1975-76 season, the ABA merged with the NBA, but Malone's team, the Spirits of St. Louis, was not chosen to join the NBA. As a result, he was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers, but they traded him to the Buffalo Braves before the start of the 1976-77 season. Malone's tenure with the Braves was brief, as he played only two games before being traded again. It was during his time with the Houston Rockets that Malone experienced his career breakthrough. In his first season with the team, he set new NBA records with 437 rebounds in the regular season and 15 rebounds in the playoffs. Although he missed significant playing time in his second season with the Rockets in 1977-78, Malone still managed to lead the NBA with 380 rebounds and earn his first NBA All-Star selection. He continued to excel in the 1978-79 season, setting a new record with 587 rebounds and boasting a career-best .540 shooting percentage. Malone's outstanding performance earned him his first NBA MVP award for the season. Although he had a less productive 1979-80 season, he still helped the Rockets make it to the Conference Semifinals. The 1980-81 season saw Malone lead the NBA with 14.8 rebounds per game and guide the Rockets to the NBA World Championship Series. Although he posted impressive averages of 22.3 points and 15.7 rebounds per game across six games in the series, it was not enough for the Rockets to surpass the Boston Celtics. Malone played one more season with the Rockets in 1981-82, concluding his tenure on a high note. That season, he averaged a career-high 31.1 points per game and again led the NBA in rebounds. His outstanding performance earned him his second NBA MVP award. The Rockets made it back to the playoffs, but were eliminated by the Seattle SuperSonics in the first round. Malone's impressive performance continued in the 1983-84 season, with him again leading the league in rebounds despite being limited to 71 games due to ankle injuries. He led the league in rebounds for a record fifth consecutive season in 1984-85, a season that saw him record his 15,000th NBA point and his 10,000th NBA rebound. The Sixers went on to reach the Conference Finals, where they lost to the Celtics. In the 1985-86 season, his final one with the team, Malone averaged 23.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per game in 74 games. His season ended prematurely after he suffered an orbital fracture in his right eye at the end of March. Malone was traded to the Washington Bullets in 1986. In his first season with the team, he averaged 24.1 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, and scored his 20,000th NBA point. The Bullets advanced to the 1987 playoffs, where they were swept in the first round by the Detroit Pistons; the team would go on to lose to the Pistons again in the first round of the 1988 playoffs. Prior to the 1988-89 season, Malone signed a three-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks. That season, he averaged 20.2 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, and earned his 12th consecutive and final NBA All-Star selection. In the playoffs, the Hawks fell in the first round to the Milwaukee Bucks. The team struggled in the 1989-90 season, going 41-41 and missing the playoffs. In the 1990-91 season, Malone became the NBA career leader in free throws made, with 7,695. He also scored his 25,000th career point and 15,000th career rebound. The Hawks advanced to the 1991 playoffs, where they were eliminated by the Pistons in the first round. This would be Malone's final postseason appearance. In 1991, Malone signed a two-year contract with the Milwaukee Bucks as a free agent. Despite his best efforts, he could only help the Bucks to a 31-51 record in the 1991-92 season, tied for last place in the Central Division. Malone subsequently missed the majority of the 1992-93 season due to surgery on a herniated disc, and the Bucks once again finished last in their division. Malone's personal life was marked by several challenges. He was married to Alfreda, with whom he had two sons named Moses Jr. and Michael. The couple divorced in 1992 after Alfreda sued Malone for cruelty and adultery and took out a restraining order against him. In early 1993, Malone was arrested in Galveston, Texas for allegedly stalking his ex-wife, trespassing on her property, and threatening to kill her. Later in his life, he dated Leah Nash, with whom he had a son named Micah. Tragically, Malone passed away on September 13, 2015, from complications of heart disease at a hotel in Norfolk, Virginia. He had been scheduled to play in a charity golf tournament that day, but was found unresponsive in his room and reportedly wearing a heart monitor.