<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - With his wife and six children, Karl Malone unveiled a statue so tall that even the 6-foot-9 former power forward had to look up to it.The Utah Jazz honored Malone, the second-leading scorer in NBA history, Thursday with a bronze likeness of the "Mailman'' driving to the basket. The Jazz were to retire Malone's No. 32 later Thursday during halftime of Utah's game against Washington. Malone, who played 18 of his 19 seasons in Utah, thanked the Jazz for taking him with the 13th pick in the 1985 NBA draft."You rolled the dice on me. I hope I didn't let you down,'' Malone said to cheers of fans who packed the plaza outside the Delta Center on a chilly afternoon.Malone's statue stands just a few feet from one of point guard John Stockton, just off the corner where John Stockton Drive and Karl Malone Drive intersect southeast of the arena.Stockton returned to Salt Lake City for Thursday's ceremonies, although he dropped back several feet and let Malone have the spotlight as he was warmly greeted by the fans. Malone paused briefly to kiss the foot of the bronze Stockton before sitting down with his family and hearing several speeches.Stockton, NBA commissioner David Stern and Jazz owner Larry Miller were among the speakers before Malone and family pulled the giant purple drape covering the statue.Malone, dressed in black from his boots to cowboy hat, looked up for several moments with a wide grin as he enjoyed the celebration.Malone also thanked the fans and the state of Utah - which he mistakenly referred to as a city after he was drafted."I realize now, 20 years later that it's a state,'' Malone said, poking fun at himself.The statues are encircled by two rings of bronze plaques listing the accomplishments of Malone and Stockton."We had a tough time narrowing it down to what we have,'' Miller said.Stockton and Malone spent part of the day arguing over who made who better, each giving the other credit. Stockton is the NBA's career leader in assists and steals. Malone scored more points (36,928) than anybody other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.But without Malone there to complete the pick-and-roll, Stockton doesn't get 15,806 career assists. Without Stockton's passes, Malone wouldn't have scored as many points as he did."Those numbers are way out there and if just a few things changed, he could have put them out there even further,'' Stockton said.Malone, sixth on the career rebounding list, was also the league's MVP in 1997 and 1999 and he and Stockton led the Jazz to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, losing to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.Before the ceremony, Malone spoke for himself and Stockton and said they didn't look back on coming up just short of an NBA title. Malone also said he didn't regret leaving the Jazz for one season with the Los Angeles Lakers and a final run at a championship after Stockton retired in 2003."We don't wish. That's just not who we are,'' Malone said.</div>What a great player. I am happy for him. Hall Of Fame soon enough. Thoughts?
"The statue shows Malone kicking another player in the nuts and elbowing someone in the head, as well as stepping on someones leg, Karl wanted the statue to be as accurate as possible to how he played the game."
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BCB @ Mar 24 2006, 11:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>"The statue shows Malone kicking another player in the nuts and elbowing someone in the head, as well as stepping on someones leg, Karl wanted the statue to be as accurate as possible to how he played the game."</div>Come on, BCB. Do you have to downplay a great man's career?
I'm sorry but I hate Karl Malone, I think Kobe's a douche bag but I hate Karl Malone. He didn't give a rats <Censored> if he killed anyone out there. That's not tough basketball thats bullying. Karl was a great basketball player but what he did out there I can never forgive.
Yeah, and the Wizards still won the game that night...the Jazz should be embarrased. He probably beat up all of them in the Utah locker room that night.
While I've always thought he was somewhat oerrated, good to see the jersey and statue unveiled finally
well deserved but someone needs to give him some kind of plastic/fake champs ring since he didnt win 1 but fell victim to the jordan era.
yeah, he destroyed so many dreams...IE. Stockton, Malone, Ewing and Reggie millerthey all sunk in cuz of all the hype MJ got and they never got theyre rings
Reggie Miller deserved a ring as did Malone and Stockton.also, your forgetting Charles Barkley, even though hes an idiot
I would say the Knicks beat the Suns in the finals in 03. Just a guess since the knicks were more physical and defensive.
Great Player, one of the Best... I wish the Lakers Got him the Championship, but after all that he is done for the league, he deserves every bit of it.
ROFT @ his outfit, nice hat Malone. Lol, you wish Lakers got him a championship, turn it around, they signed Malone to get him a championship because Kobe and Shaq were falling apart. Lakers were a paper team that season
