It's easy to assume that most forwards in the 1980s and '90s envied Karl Malone for his physical dominance — the brute strength, the broad shoulders and his ability to bulldoze through defenders. But ...

“The era of the 90s and 2000s yeah, you didn’t have to just play basketball, you had to stand up. If someone tested you, you only go one or two ways. You either step up to it or lose your edge.