Two former superstars of the Utah Jazz whom this deadline beater was able to watch personally during their colorful
NBA playing days live ordinary but inspiring retirement lives today.
I’m talking of Karl “The Mailman” Malone and Adrian Dantley.
The Mailman, who teamed up with star pointguard John Stockton in what experts say was the best pick and roll tandem, drives a truck these days in his own trucking bnusiness.
The 6’10” powerforward who played briefly for the Lakers in his remaining NBA season, started his own enterprise as soon as he hang up his jersey.
He reportedly earned more than a hundred million during his 19 NBA seasons and was an All-Star for the same number of seasons.
He and Stockton powered the Jazz to two NBA finals appearances in 1998 and 1999, but lost both contests to Michael Jordan and Pippen.
He had career regular season averages of 25.0 ppg and 10 rebounds per game. His phenomenal performance carried the Jazz to the playoffs evey season with playoff averages of 24.7ppg and 10.7rpg.
Aside from winning two Olympic golds in 1992 (as a Dream Team member) and 1996, Malone was named to the All NBA first team eleven times.
Everytime he was up against KAJ and Magic Johnson visiting the Lakers, Malone always gave the Pat Riley-mentored Showtime team a big defensive headache.
(Mychal Thompson, father of GS Klay Thompson, was always assigned by Riley to guard Malone.)
Karl scored 36,374 career points, second only to Kareem Abdul Jabbar (before Lebron James broke KAJ’s record). He is the only NBA’er to score 2,000 or more points in a record twelve seasons, including eleven consecutive years.
While several former NBA stars failed to take good care of their career earnings, Malone does not regard his driving a truck as demeaning.
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Adrian Dantley stood just 6’5” but he was a terror at the 3 position.
Like Malone, Dantley also saw action for the Lakers in 1977 till 1979.
I love the way he would receive the pass at low post and his shifty turnaround shots always gave his guard difficult times.
Although himself a Hall of Famer, Dantley, now 68 years old, is not ashamed to work as a community worker serving as a school crossing guard.
He earned just $3.5M during his NBA career. He quit to pick up an ordinary job that pays $14,000 a year. Since leaving the NBA in 1992, the six-time All Star decided to give back something to his community.
A native of Washington D C, Maryland, Dantley did not get more for his value as a basketball talent. He received the Mr. USA Basketball award and the Oscar Robertson trophy during hsi rise to the big leagues coming out of Notre Dame.
Dantley was drafted 6th overall in 1976 by the Buffalo Braves.
He snatched the Rookie of the Year honors on his first NBA season.
Dantley also led the NBA in points scored in 1981 and 1984 while with Utah.
He became a journeyman after, enjoying short stints with Detroit, Dallas and Milwaukee. Then he became an import in Italy 1991 and retired afterwards.
Dantley also worked as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets for eight years in Colorado.
Since leaving Denver, he has not stopped working selflessly, mentoring aspiring basketball youths at Silver Spring and students at Northwood High School around Washington DC.
Interviewed by the media on why he did not mind being a crossing guard, Dantley replied: “It’s not beneath me. I’m a regular guy. I just played basketball. I’m a Hall of Famer but I like working.”
By serving as a crossing guard, Dantley was able to save the lives of two kids while at work. (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.). GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
