Moses Malone, Petersburg, VA  Petersburg High School

Moses Malone was playing basketball at Petersburg High School, such a move was unthinkable. A player went from high school to college and then, if he was good enough, to the professional level.

Moses Malone changed the thinking.

Born in 1955, Malone had grown to a slender 6-foot-10 by his senior year. He'd led the Petersburg High Crimson Wave to 50 straight victories and to state championships in 1973 and 1974. After an intense recruiting battle, he agreed to play at the University of Maryland.

But Malone had a monumental change of heart. On the day he was to begin classes, he signed with the Utah Stars of the now-defunct American Basketball Association. He was the first player to go straight from high school to the pros Some thought Malone was too young or frail to play, but he proved otherwise. He was an immediate force on the court and an ABA all-star. He went on to star in the National Basketball Association. In October 2001, Malone was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame

"Considering that I never thought I'd be in this position, it turned out pretty good," Malone said before his induction. "I played thousands and thousands of games. All I wanted to do was win each one. The individual stuff, all the celebrity that comes with it, didn't do much for me."

Malone, who lives in Houston, never was one to seek the spotlight. Though he has overcome the shyness that was a big part of his makeup in high school, Malone would much rather let his basketball playing talk for him than talk about his basketball playing.

In the NBA, he was a three-time Most Valuable Player and a 12-time all-star. He was the MVP in the regular season and in the finals for the Philadelphia 76ers team that won the 1983 league championship.

Though he was a capable scorer (20.6 career average), Malone was proudest of his rebounding ability (12.2 career average). He may be remembered as the finest offensive rebounder ever.

"The other teams talk big about how they're going to do this or that to shut him out. They talk, and then Moses just goes out there and eats people up," Elgin Hayes, now a fellow Hall of Famer, said of Malone back in 1982.

And, from Philadelphia 76ers coach Billy Cunningham during the 1982-83 season, "He had something within him, a fire. I can't think of anyone who compares to him."

Malone is spending his retirement years following the athletic careers of sons Moses Jr. and Michael, playing in charity exhibitions and trying to improve his golf game. He said he invested his earnings wisely and is financially secure.

Secure as well is his place in history as the first preps-to-pros player and as one of the finest centers of all time.

Of his own career, Malone said, "I put a hard 21 years in."

Former East Tennessee State University (ETSU) hoops great Keith “Mister” Jennings to receive degree during weekend commencement

2008 - When Keith “Mister” Jennings ended his collegiate basketball career and left East Tennessee State University in the spring of 1991, he finished with an extensive basketball resume. However, there was still work left to be done.

Jennings, an All-American point guard who went on to enjoy a long professional basketball career that included four seasons in the NBA, had unfortunately ended his time in Johnson City without having earned  his degree. Then, as his time as a professional player ended and he began to look at possible careers for the remainder of his working life, Jennings made the commitment to come back and complete his coursework. This weekend, he will walk the stage and receive his degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from ETSU President Dr. Paul E. Stanton, Jr.

I always looked at playing in the NBA as a dream of mine, but I have realized how important your academic work and education is as well. They are at the top of the list,” said Jennings , who is still ETSU’s all-time leader in assists (983) and the program’s No. 3 all-time scorer (1,988 points). “This was a step I knew I had to take to get to where I wanted to go in my life. This was just another stage for me.”

With the help of men’s basketball coach Murry Bartow and the ETSU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, Jennings returned to Johnson City last fall to begin attending class again at the age of 39 and to act as a volunteer coach for the men’s basketball program. Having led the Bucs to 89 wins and three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament during his career, his knowledge proved invaluable to the team. However, the experience of helping the coaching staff and continuing his education were of equal worth to Jennings .

“I’ve been able to continue learning,” Jennings said. “I would put my knowledge of the game up against anyone, but being able to see first hand what the assistants on this staff do every day has really helped me understand coaching even more. This staff does an outstanding job and I know I will continue to call Coach Bartow in the future for advice and to learn even more.”

As for the future, Jennings has already accepted the head coaching job at Tennyson High School in Haywood , Calif. When he was playing for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors in the mid-90s, Jennings became friends with Tennyson’s Vice Principal Cleveland McKinney, and that relationship led to the job offer. Jennings said being close to Oakland – Haywood is a suburb of the city – is also exciting because he looks forward to reuniting with his former NBA team.

“I feel like I’m one of the best shooters in the world and I think I have a lot to share in that area to players at any level,” Jennings said. “I would love to start working some with Golden State again while I’m coaching at Haywood.”            And what of a return to ETSU in the future?

“I’m ETSU through and through,” Jennings said. “Ultimatley, sure I would love to return to ETSU and coach here. I guess it’s only a matter of time. But I really think Coach Bartow and his staff have done a great job and are taking this program back to the level we had it.”

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