Jeff Malone

Jeffrey Nigel Malone (born June 28, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, and is mostly known for his time with the Washington Bullets (1983–1990) of the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he was an NBA All-Star twice, playing the shooting guard position. He also played for the Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat.

Basketball career Malone averaged 19.0 points per game over 13 years in the NBA. He was known for his capable offense, averaging more than 20 points in six full NBA seasons with Washington and Utah. In particular, Malone was adept at running his defender through a pick or series of screens, receiving a pass and hitting a quick mid-range jump shot. Often, these shots were off-balance, either fading sideways or falling backwards away from hoop, but his accuracy remained lethal, even when well-defended. At times, Malone would go on a hot streak and score more than 15 points in a single quarter.

Malone emerged as one of the best scoring guards in the league over in his few years in the league, appearing in the NBA All-Star Game in both 1986 and 1987. He averaged a career-best 24.3 points per game with the Bullets in 1989–90, his last season with the team.

Malone was traded to the Jazz in the off-season, adding another offensive weapon to a team that already featured future Hall of Famers Karl Malone (no relation) and John Stockton. Jeff Malone averaged 18.6 points per game in his first year in Utah, and shot 91.7 percent on free throws, good for second in the league (narrowly losing the free throw title to Indiana's Reggie Miller, who shot 91.8 percent that season). Malone averaged 20.2 points per game the following year, and was named NBA Player of the Week for December 8, 1991. His scoring helped the Jazz to the Western Conference Finals that year, at that time the franchise's best-ever performance in the playoffs. During the 1993–94 season, Malone was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers in a trade that brought Jeff Hornacek to Utah.

Jeff was hired as Smokey Gaines' assistant coach for the IBL Stingrays in July 1999.

Malone also coached the NBA Development League's Columbus Riverdragons from 2001 to 2005, compiling a 102–98 record, before the franchise changed ownership and moved to Austin, Texas, renaming the team the Austin Toros and leaving Malone out of a job.

He is not related to either former Jazz teammate Karl Malone or Moses Malone (with whom he was a teammate in Washington from 1986 to 1988).

"Maryland Miracle" shot On January 3, 1984, at home against the Detroit Pistons, Malone, a rookie at the time, hit a three point shot with one second left, falling out of bounds on the left sideline, over the backboard, to put the Bullets up 103-102 with one second left. Prior to this, the Bullets trailed 102-97 with 11 seconds, inbounding the ball. On a quick catch-and-shoot, Washington's Ricky Sobers hit a three-point from the top of the key to cut the Pistons' lead to 102-100 with nine seconds remaining. The Pistons then inbounded the ball to John Long, an 86.2% free throw shooter, who was fouled by the Bullets' Frank Johnson and was sent to the free throw line to shoot two shots with seven seconds left, but almost miraculously, Long would miss both shots.

The second shot was rebounded by Washington rookie Darren Daye, who dribbled thrice before passing it down to the corner to Malone, who slipping backwards, threw up an off-balance 3-point shot which went over the backboard and straight in the net with one second left on the clock. The play-by-play announcer's call was "No good! Rebound Daye! Daye with five seconds into the frontcourt goes to Malone in the corner. Malone throws up a brick left side YEEEESSSSSSSS! OH MY GOODNESS WHAT A SHOT! UH!... UH!... Unbelievable shot by Jeff Malone on the left baseline, he was behind the basket! And that gives the Bullets a one-point lead 103-102!" It is considered to be one of the greatest game-winning shots in NBA history. Following a Pistons timeout with a second left, Bill Laimbeer hit a 25-footer, which appeared to give Detroit the victory but it was waived off as it came after the buzzer, and the Bullets won 103-102.

Malone has confirmed that many children he has coached or visited have tried to replicate his shot but they "never made it".

It has widely been considered one of the greatest game winners in NBA history.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

D-league Head Coach