Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet

Sportswriter Knepper (The Knicks of the Nineties) gives Moses Malone, the first modern basketball player to jump to the pros straight from high school, his due in this insightful biography. Born in 1955, Malone was raised in Virginia by his mom, who never had more than $25 in the bank. Once he discovered basketball at 13, he devoted himself to the sport. His superior ability attracted attention from college coaches, but when he was drafted by the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association in 1974, and offered a sizable paycheck, the 19-year-old skipped college to join the team, where he quickly established himself as a major talent. After the ABA merged with the NBA in 1976, Malone joined the Houston Rockets, where he won two MVP trophies. He won a third after a trade to Philadelphia and went on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001. Knepper does an effective job detailing what made Malone special, writing that while “there was no flash to Moses’s game,” his “relentless drive” was his superpower. The author also covers Malone the person, including his adultery and accusations of domestic violence, noting that, though often regarded as a “gentle giant,” he “may have been troubled in a way that those around him never realized.” It adds up to a balanced portrait of a trailblazing athlete. Photos. (Nov.)