Bill Walton played against some fantastic players during his career, and one of his biggest adversaries was Moses Malone . Both players were superb in their own right, but Walton was always impressed whenever he faced Malone.
The three-time MVP was always a nuisance against his opponents because he had a knack for getting every rebound. That earned him the nickname “Chairman of the Boards” due to his rebounding ability . Walton saw it as the most impressive part of Malone’s game because he dominated every matchup in the paint.
“He was the guy who would be willing to throw up the worst shot ever, knowing he could land and pounce. He was very much like a cat,” Walton said on a Vintage NBA episode about Moses. “He came in with such passion, he came in with a level of pride that few players were only able to match.”
Moses was unstoppable in the paint
Malone stood at 6’10” and weighed around 260 pounds, so being agile and quick with his leaping ability made him an anomaly. Moses could be considered an athletic freak for what he kept doing in his career, as anyone could put up a shot, and it was a foregone conclusion that he would come away with the ball. His dominance led Julius “Dr. J” Erving to call him a cheat code for the 76ers.
Across his 19-year career, Moses averaged 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. Even when he got older, Moses still worked hard to grab those rebounds, firmly cementing himself as a perennial threat in the paint.
Since he was also a center, Walton had a unique perspective on gauging the effectiveness of other centers. He was among the most talented big men to play the game, but his career was cut short due to constant injuries. However, they did not limit his basketball mind.
Malone was one of his favorites because Walton appreciated what made the Chairman an effective player. He regularly received the ball and then threw it up for his opponents to try and rebound, but he was quick enough to get it back and have an easier shot at the rim.
That playing style enabled him to average 49.5% from the field for his career, which is a mediocre number for a player who lives in the paint. However, context matters with stats, and Moses’ style was why the number is low compared to other elite centers.
Walton had a good eye for talent
While he was a fantastic player in his own right, Bill was a popular commentator in his post-playing career. Most people knew him for his bombastic personality, but Walton was also a fantastic analyst.
He knew how to evaluate talent well and was respected in the NBA community. Bill always gave players their well-deserved flowers, which is what he did for Moses on the Vintage NBA episode. Thankfully, people could look back at Walton’s comments and appreciate Malone more because he has become overlooked through the years despite being a three-time MVP and a Finals MVP during the 1983 Finals.
Related: “They would decide he was ignorant or arrogant” - Moses Malone had polar opposite personalities on and off the court
Most Popular
Comments / 0