Author Paul Knepper is preparing to release “Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet,” a biography that explores the Hall of Famer’s journey from high-school phenom to three-time NBA Most Valuable Player. In an interview, Knepper explained why he chose Malone as a subject and recounted stories uncovered during his decade-long research.
Why Moses Malone?
Knepper said the project began 10–12 years ago when he noticed the absence of a comprehensive book on Malone. “Every other player of his caliber had a biography,” he recalled, “but there was nothing on Moses.” That gap, combined with Malone’s “fascinating career and life,” convinced him to write one himself.
High-school leap to the pros
Malone became the first basketball player to jump directly from high school to professional basketball in 1974. According to Knepper, the 19-year-old center was undaunted. At 14, Malone had written a note declaring he would be the nation’s best player by his junior year; another note during that junior year vowed he would bypass college for the pros—both goals he fulfilled.
Transforming the 1982–83 76ers
When the Philadelphia 76ers acquired Malone in 1982, confidence within the organization soared, Knepper said. The team had reached the NBA Finals three times in the previous six seasons but repeatedly fell to opponents with dominant centers. Adding the reigning MVP to a 58-win roster provided what former Lakers coach Pat Riley once called as much “a psychological boost as it was a basketball boost.” Philadelphia went on to win the 1983 championship.
Reputation on the glass
Opponents viewed Malone as nearly impossible to contain around the rim. Former Seattle SuperSonics center Jack Sikma told Knepper that boxing out Malone felt “like trying to box out an octopus.”
The man behind the headlines
Interviews portrayed Malone as “relentless” on the court and often “misunderstood” off it. Though he kept media at arm’s length, teammates and friends described him as intelligent, humorous, and humble. Knepper highlighted Malone’s habit of redirecting appearance fees to financially struggling former players at charity golf tournaments and his insistence that every Philadelphia teammate’s name be stitched onto the banner when the 76ers retired his jersey posthumously.
The biography, slated for release in the coming months, aims to bring those lesser-known aspects of Malone’s life to the forefront for basketball fans and historians alike.
Source: Hoops Wire
