Karl Malone 13-year-old girl scandal surfaces in wake of Bomani Jones video 

Utah Jazz legend Karl Malone has stayed away from the spotlight since retiring in 2004. Malone recently resurfaced at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, which was hosted by his former team, the Utah Jazz.

But as Malone returned to the public eye, ESPN's Bomani Jones went off on the NBA for inviting the two-time Hall of Famer. Malone is a controversial figure. He allegedly impregnated a 13-year-old girl named Gloria Bell when he was playing for Louisiana State. He was 20 years old at the time.

Jones said he disliked Malone even before he was made aware of the rumors about his personal life.

"I hated Karl Malone so much before I had a great reason," Jones said. "I only had good ones, like just being a dirty player, elbowing people all the time, you know, that sort of stuff.

"And then, you know, we found out the whole thing. If you don't know this, that, when he was in college, Karl Malone had a baby with a 13-year-old.

"There's never been any sort of reckoning for Malone because Malone lays low. Like he's just out there in the country, driving his semi, doing whatever it is Karl Malone does out there."

Karl Malone was perhaps not the best role model off the court. He initially did not make any contact with his son, Demetress Bell, who became an NFL player for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles.

The two didn't have a relationship until 2014, when the pair met for the first time. But they began to reconcile and have been in regular contact with each other since 2018, per The Deseret News. Malone even expressed regret at not being a father to his kids earlier in his life.

"I didn't handle it right," Malone said. "I was wrong, but I'm not going to every time I see you try to go back and make up for it because you can't. Father Time is the biggest thief that's out there, and you can’t get that back. And we have a great relationship, but I'm still Dad, Pops, or Paw or whatever they want to call me. My grandkids call me Paw Paw."

While the relationship between Malone and Bell has been repaired, it doesn't erase the fact about how the latter came into this world. Social media made sure that everyone knew about it.

Here are some comments about Malone's appearance at the All-Star Game:

"How is this dude still respected by the NBA"

"He's probably a little sad he can't rate the dunks 13"

"Adam silver is unreal"

"Hide your kids"

"Lock that thug up!!"

"Incoming first ever 13 out of 10 score"

"Dude shouldn’t be allowed near the NBA"

"Should be erased from history"

"Why return?"

"Why does the NBA act like this man didn’t have sex with minors??? It’s unreal"

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Karl Malone career retrospective

Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz

Karl Malone is one of the greatest players in NBA history. Malone was the 13th overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft and quickly formed a partnership with John Stockton. The duo led the Utah Jazz to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, but lost to the Chicago Bulls both times.

Malone is a two-time NBA MVP and a 14-time All-Star. He finished his career with another NBA Finals berth with the LA Lakers in 2004. He's third on the all-time scoring list, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a two-time Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame inductee, and a member of the league's 50th and 75th Anniversary teams.