Moses Malone was the missing piece to a championship puzzle for the Philadelphia 76ers. After coming up just short in the finals in the past, the Sixers signed Malone in free agency 1982 and he immediately made an impact.
Malone won MVP in the 1982-83 season as he averaged 24.5 points, 15.3 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks. He then teamed up with Julius Erving to lead the Sixers to a championship as they swept the Los Angeles Lakers on his way to winning finals MVP.
HoopsHype ranked the top 80 players in the history of the game and Malone comes in ranked No. 16 on the list:
Perhaps the most underappreciated superstar ever, Moses Malone was as dominant as it gets at the center spot with physical toughness as a rebounder, leading the league in nightly boards
an astounding six times, including once at 17.6 rebounds per game. Malone was also a monster scorer in the paint, using his brute strength to batter smaller foes down low. Many consider Malone the greatest offensive rebounder the league has ever seen, as his timing and instincts to chase boards on offense were second to none.
All in all, Malone averaged 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds in his 21 years playing basketball. His first two years were in the ABA with the Utah Stars and then the Spirits of St. Louis before joining the Buffalo Braves in the NBA. He won three MVP awards during his days in the league.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers legend Moses Malone ranked No. 16 in history of the NBA
