Karl Malone is seen as a legend in the NBA, however, no one really talks about him, and for good reason. Prior to LeBron's ascent up the all-time scoring list, Malone was second behind Kareem. Now, he is third on the all-time list. Although these are great numbers that make you a Hall-of-Famer, no one likes to acknowledge this. Of course, this is because Malone impregnated a 13-year-old when he was just 20 years old. Malone was in college at the time and he failed to take responsibility for what happened. While some may have given him a pass for this years ago, we now live in an age where you cannot simply sweep something like this under the rug. Once again, rightfully so.
Overall, Malone has largely been forgotten when it comes to NBA celebrations. Due to his past actions, the league likes to pretend as though Malone doesn't exist. However, it seems like they are changing course on this philosophy, much to the dismay of fans. This year's All-Star game is in Utah, which is where Malone spent the majority of his career. As a result, the league is inviting Malone to be one of the dunk contest judges.
Karl Malone Gets New Role
As you can imagine, fans are flabbergasted by this decision. While the All-Star game is in Utah, there are plenty of other past Jazz stars that could have been asked. Bringing Malone into the fold is completely out of pocket and opens up a huge can of worms. Moreover, it is simply bad PR for the entire NBA. One has to wonder what the league was thinking when they decided to make this move. As one fan put it, "I get that the NBA wanted a former Jazz player to be a part of this thing, but this is where you call up Carlos Boozer or Greg Ostertag or Felton Spencer instead. This just doesn't fly in 2023."
Below, you can find more reactions from the Twittersphere. You will be hard-pressed to find a single person who actually agrees with this latest move by the league. Only time will tell whether or not they decide to reverse course on all of this. Let us know what you think of the move, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the sports world.