Petersburg renames road for basketball icon Moses Malone

Petersburg has honored local basketball legend Moses Malone by renaming a portion of Johnson Road in his memory. During the City Council's meeting on September 15, a resolution was passed to rename the three-mile stretch between Flank Road and Interstate 85 as Moses Malone Boulevard. The area includes the high school where Malone's Crimson Wave basketball team won consecutive state titles in 1973 and 1974.

Ward 5 Councilor Howard Myers explained that the renaming is a way to pay tribute to the athlete who developed his skills in Petersburg. The Honorary Street Naming Program was established in 2020, allowing streets to be named after notable residents. Special street signs with the Malone name will be installed along the designated route.

While the renaming is currently honorary, the necessary steps will be taken to make it permanent. Malone, a native of Petersburg, played for two ABA teams and seven NBA teams during his 21-year career, leading the Houston Rockets to the NBA Finals in 1981 and the Philadelphia 76ers to the finals in 1983. He passed away on September 13, 2015, at the age of 60.