Al Jefferson recalls Doc Rivers giving him a tape of Moses Malone to study: 'I kept that DVD for a long time'

When talking about some of the most proficient players down low in the post, Al Jefferson isn't a name that will jump to many minds at first. However, "Big Al" was one of the last masters of dominating with his footwork and pure skill around the paint.

Jefferson's big influence was the legendary Moses Malone. But all that wouldn't have been possible without his coach with the Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers. Glenn gave Al highlight tapes of the "Chairman of Boards" and introduced the young center to how he wanted him to play.

"Doc gave me a video, probably my second year. Moses Malone. And I mean, I knew nothing about Moses Malone...basically telling me you can have that type of game like him. And I was like, 'Wow!' I kept that DVD for a long time cause Moses Malone in the 80s was a beast," Jefferson explained.

Al was a problem down low

Jefferson had a productive 14-year career in the NBA, although he never made an All-Star game or came close to winning a championship. However, wherever "Big Al" went, he made an impact.

From his young days with the Celtics, fresh out of high school, the 6'10'' big man showed readiness to hang with the big boys. Jefferson would go on to have fruitful stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets, and Indiana Pacers before eventually retiring in 2019 at 34 years old.

Al's best individual season came in "Buzz City" during the 2013-14 season. The Monticello, Mississippi native averaged 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game and even made the All-NBA Third team. Despite being vastly respected among his peers and a handful to cover in the paint, Jefferson simply never got considered a star or someone the league would market.

A big reason for that was his slow, old-school style of play, which delighted only the old heads and drew away the younger fans. Watching Moses definitely influenced "Big Al" in bringing the spirit of the 1970s/80s to the modern NBA.

Moses is one of the underrated legends

Despite having a resume worthy of the GOAT discussion, Malone often gets overlooked when talking about the game's greats. However, another legend and a former teammate of Moses, Julius Erving, once explained why the 6'10'' big man was a real-life cheat code.

"Big Mo, all in everything... I think we got a chance of winning every night," Dr. J said on Michael Cooper's "Showtime with Coop" podcast regarding Malone's presence on the 76ers roster. "Very few teams have that mentality because every night, we got a chance of winning this game, even if we don't play well."

13 All-Star games, three MVP awards, one championship, one Finals MVP honor, six rebounding titles, and many more accolades prove that Malone was one of the most dominant big men during his era. A lot more big men today could benefit from watching some Moses highlights, as Al definitely benefitted from studying one of the game's greats.