MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Plans are in place for Karl Malone's number-retirement ceremony and statue unveiling Thursday at the Delta Center, the Jazz announced Saturday.

The statue of the NBA's No. 2 all-time scorer will be presented by Jazz owner Larry H. Miller and creator/designer Brian Challis at 4:30 p.m. on the southeast corner of the Delta Center plaza.

The public is invited free of charge.

Malone's No. 32 will be raised to the rafters of the Delta Center at halftime of the Jazz's game against Washington, joining those of John Stockton (12), Jeff Hornacek (14), Mark Eaton (53), Darrell Griffith (35), coach/general manager/president Frank Layden (1) and the late Pistol Pete Maravich (7).

That ceremony will be televised live by KJZZ.

KJZZ also will air a one-hour Malone special at 8 p.m. Wednesday. "Back Home with Karl Malone," filmed in Ruston, La., and hosted by Craig Bolerjack, features Malone reflecting on life after basketball.

Malone will join David James, Thurl Bailey, Pace Mannion and special guests on KJZZ's pre-game show, broadcast live from the Delta Center at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

After the game, KJZZ will air "Karl Malone, Final Delivery," a 30-minute show highlighting Malone's 18 years in Utah.

Fans attending Thursday's game will receive a Karl Malone collector's card, and the first 5,000 spectators entering the Delta Center will receive a Malone statue, part of the Jazz's retired number statue series.

Among those scheduled to attend Thursday's festivities honoring the league's two-time MVP is NBA Commissioner David Stern.

EASY CALL: Ask Jazz coach Jerry Sloan who he favors for MVP honors this season — say, Phoenix's Steve Nash or Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers — and with a little prodding it's not hard to tell which way he leans.

"Kobe is a terrific, terrific player," said Sloan, who does have a vote for the media-selected award, "but I would ask myself, if I was involved in it, what does he do to help his teammates?

"That would be my question about anybody who plays and is in that position."

And Sloan's opinion of Nash — who visits the Delta Center with the Suns on Tuesday — taking MVP honors a season ago?

"I thought he was terrific, for what he did, and the way he took the team," the Jazz coach said. "Even as much, or more so, this year. When you look at that and see how he's kept the team together, how he's shown the leadership . . . I don't think you can measure the leadership a guy gives a team.

"He's huge. His presence, and what he does, and how he handles those things — you can't replace that."