Karl Malone played in Utah.
Karl Malone . Nicknamed `` The Mailman '' , Malone played the power forward position and spent his first 18 seasons ( 1985 -- 2003 ) in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) with the Utah Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate John Stockton . The Utah Jazz drafted Malone in 1985 with the 13th overall pick in the first round . The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City , Utah .