He's too content with his new life in rural Louisiana as a businessman, husband and father to ever consider returning to the game he played with so much passion for 19 years - 18 with the Utah Jazz and one with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Malone will be honored by the Jazz on Thursday, when the team unveils a statue of him outside the Delta Center and retires his jersey - No. 32 - during halftime of the Utah-Washington game.
Malone ended his career as the No. 2 scorer in NBA history and a two-time Most Valuable Player. Not bad for a guy who wasn't taken until 13th in the 1985 NBA draft.
In advance of the festivities, Malone allowed The Salt Lake Tribune to visit him and his family in Ruston, where they will make a permanent home.
It is a long, long way from Salt Lake City.
