Karl Malone is third all-time in NBA career points behind LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But some people argue that Malone should never have had an NBA career after his controversial past. And some people who are unaware of his past still revere him as one of the greatest players ever to touch a basketball.
Among them was Patrick Beverley, the former NBA player, who, until very recently, was not aware that Karl Malone had been accused of statutory rape in the past. On the latest episode of his podcast, his co-host, Adam Ferrone, informed Beverley about Karl Malone’s controversial past while doing a hypothetical All-Time Draft.
Ferrone: What do you think about when Karl Malone gets included on teams like this, in games like this?
Beverley: I like it. I mean, I think he’s top 20 greatest players to play.
Ferrone: You think Karl Malone is?
Beverley: Yeah.
Ferrone: But what about his off-court stuff? You know, does that factor in at all?
Beverley: No, I really don’t know a lot of off-court stuff about Karl.
Ferrone: He got a 13-year-old pregnant…. Time out? You need a timeout? A 30-second?
Beverley: No. Full. I need a f***ing full timeout. You wait a second. I have a question… When you say he got a 13-year-old pregnant, was he 16?
Ferrone: I think he was a grown-up. Let’s check. He was 20 and he got a 13-year-old pregnant. That doesn’t seem cool to me. But yeah, you could draft him if you want.
Beverley: Yeah, I ain’t drafting him.
Ferrone: Yeah, you didn’t know that. I feel like that’s not like a talked-about story, you know? Yeah, maybe sometimes it is.
Beverley: Yeah. Wow.
Ferrone: The kid did go on to, I think, the NFL. Demetrius Bell was his name, but I don’t think Karl Malone was in his life at all. And he said he treats it like his mom went to the sperm bank.
Beverley: Rone, I am… That threw me the f**k off. Is this true? And is this documented?
Ferrone: True. And documented.
Beverley: Was the exercise drafting these guys, or the exercise the Karl Malone? That’s my next question.
Ferrone: No, Karl Malone just kind of, when you’re having these types of drafts, Karl Malone, what second-leading scorer of all time? I mean, wasn’t Richard Jefferson just saying that like Karl Malone’s better than Charles Barkley or something because he was more disciplined? And it’s hard to even talk about Karl Malone without having this conversation, you know? It’s in the back of my mind every time I think about him.
Beverley: I didn’t even know this. You understand what I’m saying? Like that’s my thing, Rone. I didn’t know this at all.
Ferrone: You never heard this?
Beverley: No.
Ferrone: Disappointing. And in Karl Malone, not you.
Beverley: Oh my god, that just threw me the f**k off.
Ferrone: Sorry. I didn’t mean to throw you off to that level, but you know, we need to talk about it. That’s weird of him. More than weird.
Beverley: Was this girl in Utah?
Ferrone: No, I think it was Louisiana. I think it was when he was at Louisiana Tech. I think he was at Louisiana Tech at the time.
Beverley: And he still went to the NBA?
Ferrone: Yeah. It was wild, wasn’t it?
You learn something new everyday 😅 pic.twitter.com/VHTM7Dy2hC
— Pat Bev Pod (@PatBevPod) August 7, 2025
Karl Malone reportedly impregnated a 13-year-old girl during his time at Louisiana Tech, named Gloria Bell, in 1983. She and her family decided not to pursue charges against Malone but chose to keep the child.
Demetress Bell, their son, ended up being drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the NFL in 2008. Malone initially denied paternity but eventually reconciled with his son.
Richard Jefferson most recently sparked controversy by saying he prefers to build a team around Karl Malone rather than Charles Barkley, and that did not sit well with fans.
The stark difference in how one side of the NBA treats Malone and how the other one does is appalling. The generation that grew up watching Malone seems to have a soft spot for his career despite his off-the-court activities.
While one side is completely willing to negate his achievements due to his off-court controversial involvements, Jefferson and the NBA seem to be on the side that gives his career the flowers they feel it deserves, while Beverley here represents the other side that feels his off-court actions justify negating his achievements on the court altogether.
Now you need to decide which side you are on.
