G League Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Moses Malone and Clyde Drexler Coming to Rio Grande Valley Tuesday

Published on April 11, 2011 under NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release


MCALLEN, TEXAS - The defending NBA Development League champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers announced Monday that Hall of Famers Moses Malone and Clyde Drexler are holding a free autograph session at the Vipers Pro-Shop at Uptown Plaza (4500 N. 10th St.) at 3:30 p.m. for the first 100 fans in attendance.

Malone and Drexler will then attend the Vipers' playoff game against the Bakersfield Jam at 7:00 p.m. at State Farm Arena. It's Game 2 of the Quarterfinals and the Vipers must win to force a decisive Game 3 on Wednesday. Tickets start at $7 and can be purchased by calling the Vipers at 972-1144 or online through Ticketmaster via rgvipers.com. Doors open at 6:00. There will be a free pre-game tailgate party in the parking lot, courtesy of Pepper's at Uptown and Budweiser, starting at 5:00 p.m.

Also in attendance at the game will be the Red Rowdies, the official fan spirit section of the Houston Rockets. It is the first visit by the Red Rowdies to a Vipers home game. Several Red Rowdies cheered on the Vipers when they visited the Austin Toros on February 10 and 12 at Cedar Park Center.

Rockets Hall of Fame mascot Clutch the Bear and the Rockets Power Dancers will perform as well.

Named one of the NBA's 50 greatest players of all time, Malone started his 18-year NBA playing career with Buffalo in 1976 after spending two seasons in the ABA. After two games with Buffalo, Malone began a six-year stint as a member of the Houston Rockets. The three-time Most Valuable Player led the league in rebounding (17.6) and minutes per game (41.3) during the 1978-79 season. He also led the league in rebounding every year from the 1980-81 season-through-the 1984-85 season.

Malone's best season was in 1981-82, when he led the league with 14.7 rebounds and 42.0 minutes per game. He averaged a career-high 31.1 points while shooting 51.9% from the field. He won his second MVP award that year.

The 11-time NBA All-Star led the Rockets to their first NBA Finals appearance in 1981. He averaged 26.8 points and 14.5 rebounds in 45.5 minutes of action over the course of 21 playoff games.

Drexler was also named one of the 50 greatest players of all-time. The ten-time NBA All-Star played for 15 years, starting with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1983. The University of Houston star was traded to his hometown Rockets in 1995, where he helped to bring the Vipers' parent club the second of their back-to-back NBA championships, averaging 21.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game in the four-game NBA Finals sweep of the Orlando Magic.

For his career, Drexler averaged 20.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game, including a career-best 27.2 points and 7.9 rebounds during the 1988-89 season.

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NBA G League Stories from April 11, 2011


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