This Karl Malone story is outrageous.

Bell is the son of Malone, but the Mailman had no role in Bell’s success except passing along athletic genes.

The two have had very little contact during Bell’s life. His mother, Gloria Bell, reportedly was only 13 years old and Malone a college sophomore at Louisiana Tech when Demetrius was born. Malone might have served jail time had her family asked the district attorney to file criminal charges.

Bell didn’t even know Malone was his father until after graduating from high school. When they finally met, Malone told the 18-year-old Bell it was too late to be his father, and that Bell would have to “earn his money on his own.”

In a 1998 story in the Salt Lake (Utah) Tribune, Gloria Bell said, “Demetrius is ashamed that his dad doesn’t claim him. But I’ve told him it is not his fault.”

Malone also fathered twins while in high school. One of them is WNBA star Cheryl Ford. It took years to claim the twins, and now he and his wife, Kay, fully accept them as part of their family.

But what about Demetrius? Doesn’t he deserve the same measure of love and recognition?

Now granted, the child has now been drafted in the NFL, so I don’t know that there’s anything significant to be said now, but…naw. Nix that. There are some things to be said.

1. Dude got some ath-a-letic genes. One child gets drafted in the NFL, one child played in the WNBA? Wow.

2. “It’s too late for me to be your father. You’re gonna hafta earn your money on your own?” From an NBA player? Really?

Having not met my father until after high school, I can absolutely say that I have zero respect for Karl Malone at this point. I thought he was a whiny basketball player, and that he was a dirty player on the sneak tip, but now? This here? Boo!