Prep-to-Pro: Moses Malone’s Illegitimate Children

Moses Malone’s illegitimate children including LeBron, Kobe and Garnett put the spotlight on young superstars who skipped college and instantly entered the pros.

Moses Malone recently died of a heart attack. As a result, the world looked at his accomplishments. Malone played basketball for 20 seasons and won an NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983. The 12-time all star amassed over 27,000 points and 16,000 rebounds.

• 12-time all-star with 27,000 points and 16,000 rebounds
• Since Malone, 39 high school graduates have entered professional basketball.
• Most of the prep to pro players entered the NBA from 1995-2005

At his funeral, Sir Charles Barkley proclaimed Malone treated him like a son. What Malone rarely is credited for is the onslaught of high schoolers, like him, who bypassed college and went to the pros. Malone designed a blueprint for generations to follow. Making many rich from internet betting, few of these players became superstars.

Moses Malone was one of the first to enter the pros from high school

He was a talking point for sports experts before he graduated high school

Moses Malone always had a reputation for dedication on the court. The “Chairman of the Boards” also had a dynamic personality. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver described him as generous, having an “exuberant personality” and an “extraordinary work ethic.”

When Malone went to the pros, he created his own precedent. Without little reference to follow, the future Hall-of-Famer went from high school to the pros. Being one of the firsts may have been easier for him. The Chairman could simply apply the very principals that got him to the pros to begin with.

Moses Malone’s illegitimate children had a hard act to follow

Since Malone, 39 high school graduates have directly entered professional basketball. Unlike Malone, many of these offspring were salivated over before they ever stepped onto a professional basketball floor. Often these inexperienced players brought disappointment to those using online sportsbooks in the US.

No other “prep to pro” player has yet to make the Basketball Hall of Fame besides Malone. Only eight such players were all-star selections. In addition, only seven of those players made the All-NBA Team while two were “Rookie of the Year.” Many of Moses Malone’s illegitimate children were injured, got limited playing time or played overseas.

The prep to pro player decade experienced a serious fall from grace

Most of the prep to pro players entered the NBA from 1995-2005. During this time, 24% of them became all-stars while 6% were became superstars. From those players who’ve taken the traditional path to the NBA from college, 84% of those who started became all-stars. Only 15% of those starters ended up in the superstar ranks.

Of course the practice of bypassing college was looked down upon by critics. Many felt that high school graduates lacked the strength and mental maturity needed for the pros. Before 1995, the NBA required all players to be at least 19 years old with one year out of high school. Players like Garnett, Bryant and James brought many to mobile betting.

There were some standouts among prep to pro shooting stars

Kevin Garnett destroyed many negative perceptions about prep to pro athletes. He led Minnesota to eight consecutive playoff runs and a NBA title with Boston. Also one of the best in the game is Kobe Bryant who won three straight NBA Championships with the Lakers. Dwight Howard was a three-time NBA Defensive player of the year.

Malone’s illegitimate children reached their zenith in the 2012 NBA Finals. Boston facing Miami, was led by prep superstars Garnett and Lebron James. Sir James won two titles and betting odds are 5-2 he’ll get another next year. Due to new restrictions on high school players, more of Malone’s children may not emerge for quite some time.