UTAH JAZZ

Utah Jazz Legend Karl Malone Describes Running Pick-And-Roll With John Stockton

May 19, 2020, 5:53 PM | Updated: 6:08 pm

Karl Malone - John Stockton - Utah Jazz...

Karl Malone #32 and John Stockton #12 of the Utah Jazz talk strategy during a break in NBA game action at the Delta Center circa 1997 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 1997 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah Jazz legendary power forward Karl Malone detailed his experience running the pick-and-roll with hall of fame point guard John Stockton.

Malone broke down the play that former Jazz play-by-play announcer “Hot” Rod Hundley coined “Stockton to Malone” during a recent appearance on the Barstool Sports’ podcast, Pardon My Take.

“It all started with John Stockton,” Malone said.

The podcast contains explicit language and user discretion is advised.

In recent days, Malone and the Jazz have been the subject of many sports conversations after ESPN’s airing of “The Last Dance” documentary series featuring Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Malone and the Jazz fell to Jordan and the Bulls in back-to-back NBA Finals during the late 1990s.

During the interview on the Pardon My Take podcast, Malone was asked about the famous pick-and-roll play that former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan consistently ran with Stockton and Malone.

“Patience. Patience. Patience,” Malone said is needed to create the perfect pick-and-roll. “Which when I played, I didn’t have a whole lot of it.”

Malone might think that he didn’t have a lot of patience and even if he didn’t, Stockton made it worked regardless.

The two are consistently named among the greatest players to ever play in the NBA at their respective positions.

Stockton, who played his entire career (1984-2003) with the Jazz, finished his NBA career as the league’s all-time leaders in assists and steals.

“It’s always about the point guard,” Malone said. “If the point guard is doing their job and not thinking about themselves, he will be patient. That’s why it was just solid. I felt it. You know it.”

Malone, who played for Utah from 1985-2003 and is the No. 2 scorer in NBA history, certainly “felt” that connection with Stockton as many of the forward’s baskets came on assists from the hall of fame guard.

“If you see John Stockton, at least 75-80 percent of the time, he would be dribbling the ball and put his hand up and telling me to wait… I’m just high octane and I’m ready,” Malone continued. “If you go back and watch us, when he did that, we was not calling a play. He was watching me and he was telling me because if your point guard leave to quick, it just about always gonna be an offensive foul on me. So he was protecting me as well. So the perfect pick-and-roll is patience.”

Stockton’s patience led to 15,806 assists over 19 seasons that included 10 NBA All-Star nods, two All-NBA First-Team honors, two trips to the NBA Finals, and the Jazz retiring his No. 12 jersey.

That patience also led to a large portion of Malone’s 36,928 points during their 18 seasons together.

Malone said that most people knew exactly what play the dynamic duo was going to run but couldn’t stop it due to Stockton’s greatness.

“Number one, you had the best that ever did it running the show,” Malone said. “I was decent, so I would set the pick. But all of our teammates knew where they were supposed to be at and all they had to do was do it. But it all started with John Stockton.”

  • Utah Jazz Scoreboard

  • Utah Jazz Team Leaders

  • Utah Jazz Standings

Utah Jazz

Luka Doncic signs autographs...

Ben Anderson

Luka Doncic Carves Time To Sign Autographs For Fans In Utah

Luka Doncic made time on Wednesday to sign autographs for his fans in Utah as the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Jazz.

3 hours ago

LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots over Isaiah Collier #13 of the Utah Jazz...

Ben Anderson

Jazz Get Revenge Over Doncic, Lakers 131-119

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz sent Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers into the All-Star break with a 131-119 loss. Lauri Markkanen led all scorers with 32 points while the Lakers were led by Rui Hachimura who scored 19. Game Blog: Jazz Blowout Lakers In Salt Lake City Jazz Guards Stuff Stat […]

3 hours ago

Markkanen Utah Jazz...

Ben Anderson & Brian Preece

Jazz Sink Lakers In Home Blowout

NBA-title hopeful Los Angeles Lakers take their traveling circus on the road to face the Utah Jazz three days after beating Utah by 19.

4 hours ago

Utah Jazz Jordan Clarkson...

Brian Preece

Three-Point Barrage Helps Jazz Pull Away From Lakers

SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Jazz are firing on all cylinders, building a 20-point lead over the superstar-laden Lakers late in the third quarter.

5 hours ago

Howard Eisley #10 of the Utah Jazz looking on during the game against the Golden State Warriors...

Brian Preece

Howard Eisley Returns To Delta Center As Jazz Host Lakers

SALT LAKE CITY - Former Utah Jazz backup point guard Howard Eisley is in the house at Delta Center tonight, returning to his former NBA home. 

6 hours ago

lauri markkanen...

Brian Preece

Lauri Markkanen Off To Hot Start Against Lakers

SALT LAKE CITY - Lauri Markkanen is going right at the Lakers in the opening quarter, leading Utah to a 33-30 lead after one. 

6 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Northern Utah High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 2

SALT LAKE CITY – The John Watson Northern Utah High School Player of the Week is celebrating the best high school basketball players in Northern Utah. Presented by John Watson Chevrolet in Ogden, each week we honor athletes for their exceptional performance on the gridiron. Our winners for week two of the season were Jackson Maw from […]

salt lake county player of the week...

Salt Lake County High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 2

SALT LAKE CITY – The Hercules Salt Lake County High School Player of the Week is celebrating the best high school basketball players in Salt Lake County. Presented by Hercules First Federal Credit Union, each week we honor athletes for their exceptional performance on the gridiron. Our winners for week two were Faythe Stauffer from Riverton High […]

...

Utah County High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 2

SALT LAKE CITY – The Mr. Mac Utah County High School Player of the Week is awarded each week to the top prep boy’s and girl’s basketball players in Utah County. Sponsored by Mr. Mac, it honors athletes for their performances on the court and exceptional play. Our winners for week two were Easton Hawkins from Lehi […]

...

Northern Utah High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 1

SALT LAKE CITY – The John Watson Northern Utah High School Player of the Week is celebrating the best high school basketball players in Northern Utah. Presented by John Watson Chevrolet in Ogden, each week we honor athletes for their exceptional performance on the gridiron. Our winners for week one of the season were Sam Romer from […]

salt lake county player of the week...

Salt Lake County High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 1

SALT LAKE CITY – The Hercules Salt Lake County High School Player of the Week is celebrating the best high school basketball players in Salt Lake County. Presented by Hercules First Federal Credit Union, each week we honor athletes for their exceptional performance on the gridiron. Our winners for week one were Beckham Bayles from Cyprus High […]

...

Utah County High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 1

SALT LAKE CITY – The Mr. Mac Utah County High School Player of the Week is awarded each week to the top prep boy’s and girl’s basketball players in Utah County. Sponsored by Mr. Mac, it honors athletes for their performances on the court and exceptional play. Our winners for week one were Jaxon McCuistion from Timpanogos […]

Utah Jazz Legend Karl Malone Describes Running Pick-And-Roll With John Stockton