Once celebrated 14-time NBA All-Star player Karl Malone, who almost spent his entire career (except his final season in Los Angeles) with the Utah Jazz was recently announced as a judge for this week’s upcoming All-Star weekend for the popular dunk contest.
But after fans learned about that, some people came out against Malone playing any role in the annual game due to his past dating a 13-year-old girl..
Presenting 2023 #ATTSlamDunk Judge.. Karl Malone! #StateFarmSaturday: Feb. 18, TNT pic.twitter.com/PzGT9003CC
— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) February 15, 2023
Before the NBA great made it to the league, according to Audacy, when he was 20 and playing collegiate basketball at Louisiana Tech, he impregnated a 13-year-old girl. There were no charges pressed and the child born out of that relationship, his son, Demetress Bell, ended up making it to the NFL.
Malone, however, had no relationship with his estranged son. Bell played as an offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. He didn’t meet Malone until he was 17.
Fans who knew this factoid went on Twitter and social media questioning why would the NBA allow a “pedophile,” to be in such a prominent position.
His reputation also soiled because he was labeled a non-supportive father who refused to pay child support to twins he had when he was 17, The Daily Beast once reported. They also mentioned that he allegedly made a pass at his then-teammate, Kobe Bryant‘s wife, Vanessa.
Twitter users were quick to point out the character of the man who was once known in the NBA as “The Mailman.”
Y’ALL BRINGING BACK AN ACTUAL PEDOPHILE?!? pic.twitter.com/iVrS1Jkmc3
— D.E.O. 📷 (@ImJustDEO) February 15, 2023
Karl Malone when he finds out the 9s and 10s are the scores of the dunk contest and not the ages of the contestants pic.twitter.com/lYRINHpQUN
— Art Vandelay (@KingFavre) February 15, 2023
How does everybody but the NBA know Karl Malone is a horrible human being. Like disgusting. I will never understand. https://t.co/mJNa2vkxee
— 🎄Black Big Lebowski🎄 (@LaJethroJenkins) February 15, 2023
— Real Name: Grover (@DontrellChillis) February 15, 2023
They were also many Twitter users who made reference to the number 13 in correlation to Malone getting a 13-year-old girl pregnant. When you look up the term, “Karl Malone 13” articles from the past (and some current) will pop up discussing past revelations of the situation that bore his NFL-playing son.