What happened to Karl Malone?

11 April 2022

Many people believe the 1990s to be the golden age of NBA basketball. Players such as Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Shaquille O’Neal, and Reggie Miller were some of the greatest players during this decade. However, Karl Malone has paved his way among the NBA legends. Now, who is he, and what has he done to create a name among these basketball stars?

Malone’s Life After Retirement

Malone retired in 2004 and is currently residing in Louisiana, where he watches Jazz games on TV but occasionally visits in person.

The star has mostly avoided the media spotlight since retiring to his secluded home near where he was raised, similar to Stockton. Malone is a local businessman who owns cigarette stores, restaurants, clothes shops, and an apartment block with his daughter and spends most of his time hunting and working out.

Karl Malone’s Prime Years in NBA

Karl Malone, whose full name is Karl Anthony Malone, is an American basketball player that holds the NBA career record for most free throw attempts with 13,188 with a success rate of 9,787.

He scored 36,928, made 13,528 field goals, and played 54,852 minutes in his career, putting him in second place. Malone was designated one of the NBA’s 50 best players in 1996, earning the nickname “Mailman” since he has always successfully “delivered.”

First draft for Utah Jazz

Malone joined the NBA in 1985 as the first draft pick of the Utah Jazz after great undergrad years at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. The strong player successfully established himself as the league’s dominant power forward, towering 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 meters) tall and weighing 260 pounds (117.5 kg). He and point guard John Stockton nailed the pick-and-roll, with Stockton dishing out assists and Malone scoring points.

Malone was a tenacious rebounder who could score both by muscling in low post shots and using his efficient mid-range jump shot. KJ was widely praised for his strenuous exercise regime regimens and his durability-he hasn’t ever missed over than two matches for any of his 18 seasons with Utah-Malone was a persevering rebounder who could score both by squeezing in shots in the low post and by using his effective mid-range jump shot.

KJ’s Retirement

Following 19 seasons in the NBA, the iconic Karl Malone retired on February 13, 2005. Even though he never received that coveted championship ring, one of the game’s most promising power forwards declared he’d had enough. Malone was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, a 14-time NBA All-Star, and an 11-time member of the All-NBA first team throughout his career.

“The Mailman” would have probably delivered the Jazz a championship if it hadn’t been for Michael Jordan. Jordan’s Bulls defeated the great Jazz teams in the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, including Jordan’s career-ending last-second shot in Game 6 to wrap things up.

In his season finale with the Los Angeles Lakers, Malone made the NBA Finals once more, but a knee injury cost him dearly, and he played like a shadow of himself in the NBA Finals in counter with the Detroit Pistons, missing Game 5. Malone never played again after the Lakers lost the series in five games.

The Mailman’s Businesses

It’s challenging to avoid basketball when you’re an NBA champion like Karl Malone. The Mailman, on the other hand, has done precisely that. While he briefly returned to the Utah Jazz as a part-time coach and has an open offer to visit Louisiana Tech whenever he wants, the former forward has other responsibilities these days.

His businesses include a Texaco/Arby’s Ruston and a Teriyaki Grill franchise in Ruston, which he bought from creator Mike Keim, a Draper native, and previous BYU/NFL football player. Malone also owns a 230-acre cattle farm, three Jiffy Lube shops in Utah, two Burger King franchisees (one in Utah and the other in Idaho), and a 230-acre cow ranch.

He has interests in the world of vehicles, including the Karl Malone Used Car Outlet in Sandy, which spans 22 acres, Karl Malone Toyota in Draper, M&M Automotive, a body shop/collision facility, and two condominiums at Green Valley Resort in St. George.

Malone Outfitters is a new company founded by Malone. He will accompany clients poaching on his deer land as a licensed guide. This year will be his first year as a hunting guide. If that wasn’t enough, Malone officially signed on as a radio show host together with ESPN 700, located in Salt Lake City, but more on that later.

Malone says he is trying to negotiate an outdoor event with a handful of TV networks – he says he wouldn’t know much more than “I’m continuing to work with something pretty big” – and signed a new on as a radio host with ESPN 700 in Salt Lake City, but more on that later.

The Mailman also may own various enterprises in Utah where he used to work as a hardwood player, but most of all, he enjoys simply being Karl. In 2018, Malone’s wife, Kay, noted, “People here don’t regard him as Karl Malone, the basketball player.”

“It’s more like, ‘Hey, Karl,’ or ‘Hey, KJ’s dad,’ or ‘Hey, Kadee’s dad,’ since many young people had no idea he used to play basketball.” He is known to them as a hunter. As a result, the youngsters here experienced childhood while hunting and frequently inquiring about it.”

Although basketball and continuous hoop references are no longer a huge part of his life, Malone can’t deny that the game provided the foundation for his family’s prosperity when he looks around his house. KJ states that he is now contented with his life and is satisfied with what he has now.