Philadelphia Legend Moses Malone Dead At 60, Reports Say

Legendary Philadelphia 76ers basketball player and three-time NBA MVP Moses Malone died on Sunday night in his hotel room in Norfolk, Virginia, according to multiple reports.

Malone, who was inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame, was 60, ESPN reports.

Malone led the Sixers to an NBA championship in 1983 and was the Finals MVP as well.

It’s unclear what Malone died from, as there was no indication of foul play, according to CNN.

His body was found after he failed to report to a celebrity golf tournament he was supposed to play in, reports state.

Malone has been variously described as ”one of the most underappreciated all-time greats” alongside Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, ESPN writer J.A. Adande opines.

“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,” the Sixers said in a prepared statement.

Charles Barkley, another all-time NBA great and former Sixer star, described Malone as a father figure.

“The man I called dad passed away today,” Barkley told ESPN. “I will never know why a Hall of Famer took a lazy kid from Auburn and treated him like a son and got him in shape and made him a player...I hope he knew how much I appreciated and loved him.”

Malone is the second Sixer big man to die young in recent months, as fellow legend Darryl Dawkins passed away in August at age 58.

Image courtesy NBA.com.