Philadelphia 76ers Head Coach Maurice Cheeks announced today that Moses Malone has been added as an assistant coach. A former Sixers player, NBA Hall of Famer and a three-time league MVP, Malone will primarily work with the team’s big men, after spending time as a team consultant last season.
Selected to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1997, Malone averaged 20.6 points and 12.2 rebounds in his NBA career and 22.1 points and 13.8 rebounds per game in the postseason. A 12-time NBA All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection and a 2001 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, he still owns the league record for most career offensive rebounds (6,731). Additionally, in all-time league rankings, Malone ranks fifth in both points (27,409) and total rebounds (16,212). Malone also led the league in rebounds six times and averaged more than 20 points per game in 11 consecutive seasons.
Malone played a total of five seasons in Philadelphia, and helped lead the team to its last world title in 1982-83, the same season in which he won his third NBA MVP award. During his Sixers career, he averaged 21.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 1.34 blocks per game in 357 games (302 starts). He finished his Sixers career ranked third all-time in franchise history in offensive rebounds (1,627), fourth in defensive rebounds (2,646), sixth in scoring average (21.0), seventh in free-throws made (2,589) and ninth in blocks (478).
Drafted by the Utah Stars of the ABA in 1974, and selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1976 ABA dispersal draft, Malone played 21 years of professional basketball, including 19 years in the NBA. He played with the Houston Rockets (1976-82), 76ers (1982-86, 1993-94), Washington Bullets (1986-88), Atlanta Hawks (1988-91), Milwaukee Bucks (1991-93) and the San Antonio Spurs (1994-95).
Do you think he'll help Sammy develop? I really hope he does