Eagles

The Newest Eagle Was Fathered By Karl Malone, Who Wants Nothing To Do With His Son

By Kyle Scott

Published: Apr 4th, 2012 · 1:51 PM EDT

---

Newest Eagle Demetress Bell looks familiar, no? That’s because his biological father is NBA great Karl Malone. 

We can probably just give you the facts from this archived ESPN.com article— commentary isn’t needed. 

– A then 20-year-old Malone impregnated Bell’s mother… when she was 13.

– In 1986, Bell’s grandparents took Malone to court, where paternity tests proved that the then second-year Jazz forward was indeed Bell’s father. Malone was ordered to pay $125 a week, plus “past and future medical expenses.” But Malone claimed that it was too much, and later settled out-of-court with the family.

– Malone met Bell once, and told his son that it was too late to be his father. 

– Malone has four kids with his wife, Kay, plus an additional three out of wedlock, including Bell. The other two kids? Twins Daryl and Cheryl Ford. Malone, who was at the hospital when the twins were born, would avoid contact for years, but later reentered both of their lives when they were 17. That was just before Cheryl went to play for Louisiana Tech, where she would receive All-American honorable mentions. Malone was in the crowd several years later when his daughter won an WNBA championship. 

– Despite his relationship with Daryl and Cheryl, who are both – oddly – friendly with Bell, Malone and his son have no relationship. 

Bell:

"I treat it as if my mother went to the sperm bank. I don't hate him for [not being in my life]. It made me a better person."

 

Read the full story here. ESPN Outside The Lines story about Malone's relationship with Daryl and Cheryl is after the jump.