Today in Performance Sneaker History: Karl Malone is Born in Summerfield, LA

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Complex Original

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Happy birthday, Karl Malone!

On July 24, 1963, Karl Malone was born in Summerfield, Louisiana. After impressing colleges with his team-leading play at Summerfield High School, Malone was recruited by the University of Arkansas, but ultimately chose Louisiana Tech. In college, Malone led the Bulldogs to the Sweet Sixteen and averaged nearly 20 points a game.

In the 1985 NBA Draft, Malone was selected 13th overall by the Utah Jazz, where he would end up playing for 18 years. Although he never won an NBA Championship, "The Mailman" is widely considered to be one of the best power forwards to play the game of basketball. He's a two-time NBA MVP, 14-time NBA All-Star, and 11-time All-NBA First Team member. During the tail end of his career, Malone joined the Los Angeles Lakers, who made it to the 2004 NBA Finals but were defeated by the Pistons. Currently, Malone serves as the assistant coach of the Utah Jazz.

Throughout his 19-year career, Malone wore sneakers from a variety of brands, including Apex, Converse, and LA Gear. His most well-known model is the Apex Mailman, although the style was never available for retail purchase. "It's not a big deal to me if they're in the stores or not. They feel good to me, they have the look that I want and that's what's important," Malone mused on his signature model. Check out the gallery above for a look at some of the Mailman's most well-known sneakers.

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