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Jeff Malone Named Head Coach of the Florida Flame

August 23, 2005 - NBA G League (G League)
Florida Flame News Release


FORT MYERS, Fla., Aug. 23 - Jeff Malone has been named head coach of the Florida Flame for the upcoming 2005-06 NBA Development League season. A 13-year NBA veteran and two-time NBA All-Star, Malone spent the past four seasons as the head coach of the D-League's Columbus Riverdragons, leading Columbus to a pair of playoff berths and the 2004-05 regular season championship.

"I'm very excited about this opportunity with the Flame," said Malone. "I can continue with the NBA Development League, a league I'm very familiar with. The ownership group is terrific and it ‘s a great organization that's moving in the right direction. I love the state of Florida and I look forward to coaching in the Sunshine State."

A veteran of 51 playoff games in the NBA, Malone has reached the playoffs in three of his six seasons as a head coach. In four years at the helm of the Riverdragons (2001-2005), Malone posted an overall record of 102-98 (.510) during the regular season, with a 3-3 mark in the playoffs. This past season, Malone led Columbus to a 30-18 record, earning the D-League's regular season crown. The Riverdragons advanced all the way to the postseason championship game before falling to Asheville.

"We are very pleased to announce Jeff Malone as our head coach," said Flame managing partner, Gary Fluharty. "Not only does Jeff bring years of D-League experience and expertise to the organization, but also the proven track record of a winner."

Prior to joining the NBA Development League, Malone spent the previous two seasons in the International Basketball League (IBL). Malone served as head coach of the Trenton Stars (2000-01) and was promoted from assistant to head coach by the San Diego Stingrays during the 1999-2000 season. Malone made his coaching debut as an assistant with the Yakima Sun Kings of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) in 1998.

Malone played 13 seasons in the NBA for the Washington Bullets (1983-84 - 1989-90), Utah Jazz (1990-91 - 1993-94), the Philadelphia 76ers (1993-94 - 1995-96) and the Miami Heat (1995-96). A deadly mid-range shooter, Malone averaged 19.0 ppg on .484 shooting on his way to scoring 17,231 career points. Malone was also clutch from the free throw line, shooting .871 for his career from the charity stripe. Selected by Washington in the first round (10th overall) of the 1983 NBA Draft, Malone went on to earn NBA All-Rookie team honors following the 1983-84 season. Twice Malone earned selections to the NBA All-Star Game, representing the Bullets and the Eastern Conference in 1986 and 1987 in Dallas and Seattle.

In college, Malone played four seasons (1979-83) at Mississippi State University where he averaged 26.8 points per game his senior year and still reigns as the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,142 points. Malone is also MSU's all-time leader in career minutes played (3,851), field goals made (906), and field goals attempted (1,768). The nations' no. 2 scorer as a senior (26.8 ppg), Malone was chosen UPI's 1982-83 SEC Player of the Year in addition to being named a first-team All-American by the Sporting News. Recently, during the 2002 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament in Atlanta, Malone represented MSU as a SEC Men's Basketball Legend. (continued)

A native of Macon, Georgia, Malone was born June 29, 1961. A basketball stand-out at Southwest High School in Macon, Malone went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science at MSU. Malone has dedicated a significant amount of time throughout his career to community outreach programs including the NBA Development League's Read To Achieve, Back-to-School and Jumpball Clinics programs.

"The wealth of NBA knowledge that Coach Malone has obtained is tremendous," said Florida Flame Director of Basketball Operations, Terry Thimlar. "Through his thirteen seasons as an outstanding player in the NBA, in addition to his years as a successful coach, I feel Coach Malone is a great fit for our team."

Malone's first job responsibility will be administering the open player tryouts tentatively scheduled for late October.

The Flame open their 2005-06 NBA D-League season in Southwest Florida on Friday, November 25 at 7 p.m. when Florida hosts the Roanoke Dazzle at Germain Arena. For more information, contact Florida Flame Director of Media Relations Tim Becwar at (239) 561-8130, tbecwar@nba.com or log onto the internet at www.floridaflame.com.

Florida Flame season ticket and group ticket packages are available by calling the Flame ticket office at 1-877-FLAME-TIX. Season ticket packages for all Flame home games at Germain Arena start as low as $120, with group ticket rates for groups of 20 or more starting at just $8 per ticket.

The NBA Development League includes the Albuquerque Thunderbirds (N.M.), Arkansas RimRockers (Little Rock), Austin Toros (Texas), Fayetteville Patriots (N.C.), Florida Flame (Ft. Myers), Fort Worth Flyers (Texas), Roanoke Dazzle (Va.) and Tulsa 66ers (Okla.).

The D-League offers players the opportunity to develop their talent in a highly competitive atmosphere under the NBA's umbrella. Thirty-four (34) players have been called up to the NBA on 50 separate occasions. Ten (10) former D-League coaches, five athletic trainers, 11 referees and 29 front office executives have also been called up since the start of the league's inaugural season in November 2001.

Designed to help grow the sport of basketball both domestically and internationally, the league also offers fun, family entertainment at affordable prices. The D-League is a source of on-court talent for the NBA's 30 teams and is a diverse human resources pool for the NBA and its teams by training employees in management, operations, public relations, sales and marketing positions.



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