Ranking the 75 best players in NBA history for 75th anniversary

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Moses Malone, Washington Bullets. Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images /

Ranking the 75 best players in NBA history: No. 27 – Moses Malone

On NBA 50 at 50 List

Career: 1976 – 1995

Achievements: 1983 NBA Champion; Three-time MVP; All-NBA (8x); All-Star (13x); All-Defense (2x); Finals MVP; All-Time ABA Team; led the league in rebounding six times; third in career rebounds; ninth in career points.

Two decades before Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant began the prep-to-pro generation in earnest, Moses Malone became the first prominent player to make the leap. He went straight from high school into the ABA, and two seasons later joined the NBA. He relatedly had a somewhat slow start to his career, but once he caught his stride he was a two-way force for well over a decade.

Malone’s endurance was incredible, and he routinely averaged more than 40 minutes per game in a season. His rebounding totals look like they are from the 1960s; as late as 1982-83 he led the league in rebounding with 15.3 per game. In 1978-79 he averaged 7.2 offensive rebounds alone. Malone’s ability to locate and secure the rebound was special.

He was exceptionally prolific while with the Houston Rockets for over six seasons, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 1980-81. After losing to the Boston Celtics he found his way back in 1983 with the Philadelphia 76ers, avoiding the Celtics completely and sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers. Malone was the counterpoint to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a better rebounder but less polished scorer, and his three MVP awards stand testament to how dominant a player he was.