Karl Malone Has Heard the Criticism Over His Seedy Past Getting a 13-Year-Old Pregnant — and Seemingly Responds

After former Utah Jazz player Karl Malone was announced as a judge for the NBA All-Star Game’s dunk contest, all hell broke loose when his sordid past became a present topic of discussion.

Social media users started complaining about Malone’s involvement in All-Star weekend in Utah as his alleged “pedophilia past” was repeatedly brought to light. The NBA legend reportedly impregnated a 13-year-old girl while he attended college when he was 20 years of age — and that child grew up reportedly without Malone around.

After the weekend was over, Malone addressed the backlash while talking to The Salt Lake Tribune before shutting down on his past regarding the troubling situation that some feel should have derailed his professional basketball career.

“As players, we hear what’s written about us or said about us,” Malone stated to the newspaper.

“I’m not discussing any of that backlash. I don’t care. That’s my life, that’s my personal life, and I’ll deal with that like I’ve had to deal with everything. So, whatever.”

Audacy previously reported that when the man who was nicknamed “The Mailman” was 20, he impregnated a 13-year-old girl while he was a college student playing basketball at Louisiana Tech. The girl, Gloria Bell, and her family, knowing that he was destined to play in the NBA declined to press charges and allowed him to virtually get a stay-out-of-jail card. A son, Demetress Bell, was born out of the union and Malone did not meet him until he was 17 years of age. Bell ended up becoming a professional football player in the NFL as an offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles.

Malone’s reputation was also tarnished as he was labeled a non-supportive father who allegedly refused to pay child support to twins he had when he was only 17, The Daily Beast once reported. The outlet also mentioned that he allegedly made a pass at his then-teammate, Kobe Bryant‘s wife, Vanessa.