Moses Malone was one of the most legendary players in basketball history. No surprise that his name is still recognized by basketball stars. A 3x NBA Most Valuable Player, Malone’s contribution to the game of basketball remains unforgettable and forever engraved in history. The phenomenal star broke boundaries for other players, but how much did he earn throughout his career? Was he among elite salary earners like LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, and others?

As surprising as it may sound, Malone was the first player to join professional basketball right after high school. He wanted to support his mother was earning just a $100-a-week supermarket salary but had to provide for her son. 

Interestingly, that decision turned out right for the basketball star. Drafted by the ABA in 1974 following his display at the University of Maryland, he became the richest player in his hometown after signing a 5-year deal worth $1 million with the Utah Stars.

After a few years, the ABA and NBA merger happened, and Malone was earning $1 million a season at that time (1979-80). Another player earning nearly a million per season was Bill Walton. 

Throughout his career, Malone played for seven teams and decided to retire in 1995. During the 1981–82 season, the basketball star became a free agent. He signed a $13.2 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. As per the Celebrity Net Worth, the basketball legend earned the most while playing for the Atlanta Hawks in the 1990 season.

“I love to win, because you got the owner paying you big bucks, and you got the fans paying for great seats, just to come see a show. If I can’t put a show in by working hard, then they don’t need me to be in the game,” Malone once said about his games.

Even after earning such massive deals at that time, he was always kind and mindful of his money. Celebrity Net Worth puts his net worth at $5 million. Throughout his career, he was one of the most hard-working men and it showed.

Moses Malone was a great player!

The 6-ft-10 Virginia native was the best offensive rebounder in NBA history. He was even touted to be better than Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In his first two years in the league, the basketball star was among the top ten players in the league in rebounding. He continued his rebounding prowess.

In 1983, he led the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA championship. Malone earned NBA Finals MVP honors with a stunning average of 25.8 points and 18.0 rebounds during their four-game sweep of Los Angeles.

Over his career, the basketball legend won two MVP awards with the Rockets. His third came with the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1982-83 season. The 13x All-Star scored 27,409 career points, while his rebounding skills saw him grab 16,212 rebounds.

He also passed on his values to the younger players. When a young Charles Barkley joined the team, Malone became a mentor to him. He was also like a father figure to him. He guided Barkley, advising him that he would need to lose weight to stay fit and get more playing time. This proved to be helpful for Chuck.

“There’s no question about the rebounding area. He already is as good an offensive rebounder as anybody who ever played the game. He just refuses to concede, whether he’s going for a rebound or going up for a shot. He turns into an animal when he gets within five feet of the basket. He just turns into an animal!” Atlanta Coach Hubie Brown said. 

Moses passed away at the age of 60 in 2015 due to heart disease. Still, his memory remains fresh for the basketball players and more who wanted to do something different and ace it in every way possible.