Sixers Legend Moses Malone Dies At Age 60
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia 76ers legend Moses Malone passed away Sunday morning at age 60, according to the team.
Malone was a three-time NBA MVP, 12-time NBA All-Star, Pro Basketball Hall-of-Famer and is one of the NBA's 50 greatest players.
A 6-foot-10 center who made the leap right from high school to the pros, Malone played five of his 19 NBA seasons with the Sixers (1982-86, 1993-94).
He helped lead the team to an NBA Championship in 1983 and was named NBA Finals MVP.
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Nicknamed "Chairman of the Boards" and "Big Mo," Malone led the league in rebounds per game for five straight seasons from 1980 to 1985.
Malone retired from the NBA in 1995 and remains the league's career leader in offensive rebounds.
The 76ers released the following statement regarding Malone's passing:
"It is with a deep sense of sadness that the Sixers family mourns the sudden loss of Moses Malone. It is difficult to express what his contributions to this organization - both as a friend and player - have meant to us, the city of Philadelphia and his faithful fans. Moses holds a special place in our hearts and will forever be remembered as a genuine icon and pillar of the most storied era in the history of Philadelphia 76ers basketball. No one person has ever conveyed more with so few words - including three of the most iconic in this city's history. His generosity, towering personality and incomparable sense of humor will truly be missed. We will keep his family in our thoughts and prayers and as we are once again reminded of the preciousness of life."
Malone's death comes less than three weeks after another Sixers great, Darryl Dawkins, passed away at age 58.
The cause of Malone's death was not immediately known.
