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Ben Wallace (basketball)

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Ben Wallace
Chicago Bulls
PositionCenter
Personal information
Born (1974-09-10) September 10, 1974 (age 50)
White Hall, Alabama
NationalityUSA
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
CollegeVirginia Union
Playing career1996–present
Career highlights and awards
NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006)
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
For the British MP, see Ben Wallace (UK politician).

Ben Wallace (Ben James Wallace) (born September 10 1974 in White Hall, Alabama) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls. Nicknamed Big Ben and The Body, he plays the position of center and is 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) and [undue weight? – discuss]. He is a four-time winner of the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award (a feat equalled only by Dikembe Mutombo), and is regarded as one of the finest defensive players in the game. Wallace was considered by many to be the cornerstone of the Detroit Pistons' success in the 2000s, culminating in a championship in 2004. On July 13, 2006, Wallace signed a four-year $60 million contract with the Chicago Bulls[1].

Basketball career

As a high school player, Wallace achieved all-state honors in track, football, and baseball. He first played college basketball on the junior college level at Cuyahoga Community College for two years. He then transferred to Virginia Union, a Division II school, where he studied criminal justice. As an undrafted player, he was signed as a rookie free agent by the Washington Bullets on October 2, 1996 after playing in Italy.

In 1999, Wallace was traded to the Orlando Magic along with Tim Legler, Terry Davis, and Jeff McInnis for Ike Austin. On August 3, 2000, he was traded along with Chucky Atkins to the Detroit Pistons for Grant Hill, in what was at the time considered a one-sided trade; Hill had planned to sign with Orlando as an unrestricted free agent, but the sign and trade deal allowed Hill to receive a slightly more lucrative contract while Detroit received at least some compensation for losing its marquee player. But since the deal, Wallace has had the more successful career by far, owing in part to Hill's oft-injured status. He has been considered the quintessential defensive specialist, winning the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05, and 2005-06 seasons. In the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, he led the league in both rebounds and blocked shots. In 2003, he was voted by fans to his first NBA All-Star Game as the starting center for the Eastern Conference. He became the first undrafted player to ever start an All-Star Game. He, along with Chauncey Billups, captained the Pistons' 2004 NBA championship team. Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars promised Wallace that when his old contract expired, the Pistons would make Wallace the highest-paid Piston of all time, and Ben indicated that this show of good faith would be all he would need to re-sign with the Pistons. Dumars kept his promise, extending Wallace a four-year deal reportedly worth $48 million to $50 million, the richest in team history. Despite the Pistons' integrity, on July 3, 2006, Wallace agreed to a four-year deal worth $60 million with the Chicago Bulls. The deal became official July 13, and Wallace was introduced to the Chicago media as the team's newest member that day. He cited his strained relationship with Pistons' coach Flip Saunders as the primary reason for his departure.

Player profile

Wallace plays the center position and is lauded as a prime defensive presence[2] He has been voted as the NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times. He is somewhat undersized for a center, being listed at 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m), 240 lb., a frame statistically resembling more of a forward; he himself admits his actual height is 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m).[3]

However, he compensates for this by his impressive physique (even measured against the standards of his NBA peers) which allows him to out-muscle most of his opposition and "play bigger than his body", allowing him to average 10.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.4 steals per game in his career. He is especially intimidating with his shotblocking and defending the basket from drives, allowing his teammates to be aggressive on the perimeter, a defensive scheme used extensively by the Pistons. His uncanny defensive timing allows him to defend with great intensity without committing a foul (his career average of 2.1 fouls per game [1] is considered low). In addition, he is seen also as one of the most reliable contributors, rarely failing to deliver in important games.

His drawback is his offensive game. Wallace's averages on offense are a mediocre 6.6 points and 1.3 assists per game. His role on offense is mainly to roam near the basket for close range shots when left open and go after offensive rebounds. Like other big men in the NBA, namely Shaquille O'Neal and Wilt Chamberlain, Wallace is a poor free throw shooter. In fact, he is the worst free throw shooter in NBA history out of any player with more than 1000 attempts; as of February 2007, his NBA career average is 41.8%. This ineptitude at the free throw line results in his sometimes becoming a target of the so-called "Hack-a-Shaq" defense. Part of the reason for this drawback is that his right wrist has some ligaments that were cut off due to a surgery that was needed because his hand had some carpal tunnel issues. This causes his hand to "slip" sometimes when he shoots a free throw, forcing him to pop it back into place, resulting in him being unable to make them on a consistent basis. [2]

Controversy

On November 21, 2004, Wallace was suspended for six games by Commissioner David Stern for his role in a massive brawl at The Palace of Auburn Hills on November 19 that involved members of the Pistons, the Indiana Pacers, and Pistons spectators. After being fouled by Ron Artest, Wallace angrily shoved Artest, after Artest had made a flagrant foul which led to a shoving altercation between the two teams. After Artest taunted him from the scorer's table, Wallace threw a towel at him. Soon after, a fan tossed a beer cup, which was full of ice, at Artest's head which provoked him and then "The Malice at the Palace" started.

Wallace ran into controversy again on November 25th 2006 in New York when he wore a headband in a game against the New York Knicks.[4] Headbands are forbidden by Bulls head coach Scott Skiles and general manager John Paxson.[5] Wallace was pulled from the game by Skiles and was soon put back in after he removed the headband. However, in the second half he was again benched after returning to the game wearing the headband. In the days following the game, Wallace said, "I knew that we weren't allowed to wear the headbands. If you know the rules and break them, you expect to be punished...but I'm not sorry."[6]

Wallace has not worn the headband since that incident and said the only reason he violated the team rule was to shake up the team because the Chicago Bulls were 4-9 in the early season. After the incident the Bulls went on to have a 14-3 month of December.

Accolades

File:Ben Wallace at WH.jpg
Wallace is honored with the Pistons at the White House for the team's victory in the 2004 NBA Finals.
  • First Team: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
  • Second Team: 2007
  • 5-time All-NBA:
  • Second Team: 2003, 2004, 2006
  • Third Team: 2002, 2005
  • 2-time NBA regular-season leader, rebounds per game: 2002 (13.0), 2003 (15.4)
  • NBA regular-season leader, blocks per game: 2002 (3.5)
  • 2-time NBA regular-season leader, total rebounds: 2001 (1052), 2003 (1026)
  • NBA regular-season leader, total defensive rebounds: 2001 (749)
  • 2-time NBA regular-season leader, total offensive rebounds: 2003 (293), 2006 (301)
  • NBA regular-season leader, total blocks: 2002 (278)

NBA records/achievements

Detroit Pistons franchise records (15)

  • Most blocked shots, all-time: 1,297 (2000–2006)
  • Most blocked shots in
  • Highest blocks-per-game average, one season: 3.48 (2001-02)
  • Most defensive rebounds, one quarter: 10 (November 18, 2002 vs. New York Knicks).
  • Most rebounds, one half, playoffs: 17 (Game 4, 2003 Eastern Conference First Round)
  • Most rebounds, one quarter, playoffs: 13 (Game 4, 2003 Eastern Conference First Round)
  • Most offensive rebounds, one game, playoffs: 11 (Game 3, 2004 Eastern Conference Semifinals)
  • Most offensive rebounds, one half, playoffs: 7 (Game 3, 2004 Eastern Conference Semifinals)
  • Most defensive rebounds, one game, playoffs: 17 (Game 1, 2003 Eastern Conference Finals)
  • Most defensive rebounds, one half, playoffs: 12 (Game 1, 2003 Eastern Conference Finals)
  • Most defensive rebounds, one quarter, playoffs: 9 (Game 1, 2003 Eastern Conference Finals)
  • Most steals, one game, playoffs: 7 (Game 4, 2003 Eastern Conference First Round)

Other

Wallace has been mentioned in various songs. In the song "Too Much", the Game mentions himself as "on the rebound like Ben Wallace in the D-town" and then corrects himself by saying "in the Chi-town". Wallace is also mentioned in the Hot Karl song "Blao," featured in the NBA Live 2003 soundtrack, in which Hot Karl refers to himself as, "The white Ben Wallace without the yolked up bod." Wallace is the subject of the song "Ben Wallace," by Bentyne Ice, in which they make mention of his many NBA accomplishments. Ben and his afro were also mentioned in the movie Four Brothers, which takes place in Detroit.

Wallace was interviewed by Ali G, who accused him of "playa-hating" Ali G interviews NBA stars

Endorsements

Wallace appeared on the cover of ESPN NBA 2K5. An inflatable basketball training aid of Wallace's likeness, called the Inflatable Defender, is manufactured by PlayAir Systems. [3] He will release his own sneaker model, the "Big Ben", coming out in late August or the Fall of 2007.[4]

Trivia

  • Former basketball player Charles Oakley is Wallace's mentor, having discovered Wallace at a 1991 basketball camp. Coincidentally, Oakley attended Virginia Union as well. [5]
  • Wallace had gained great notoriety in the Detroit area and nationwide, and fans often arrived at his games sporting wigs in honor of his trademark afro hairstyle. However, he usually only had the afro for home games; for away games, he had his hair styled into cornrows. He stated he was made fun of at away games for his hair styles.
  • During his tenure with the Pistons, whenever Wallace scored or recorded a block on Detroit's homecourt, the Palace of Auburn Hills, the sound of a gong was played, an allusion to the Big Ben, Wallace's nickname. After Wallace became a member of the Chicago Bulls, this tradition has continued on their homecourt, the United Center.
  • ESPN announcers have said that Wallace is able to bench press [undue weight? – discuss] and curl [undue weight? – discuss] for several repetitions.[citation needed]
  • Recorded a notable block of Shaquille O'Neal on June 1, 2006, in Game 5 of the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and the Detroit Pistons. O'Neal was stuffed so completely that he tumbled to the floor. Heat coach Pat Riley called it "a hell of a play[6]." A photo of this won "Photo of the Year 2006" by NBA.com
  • Was born the tenth of eleven children—and the youngest of eight boys.[citation needed]


Notes

  1. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2508742
  2. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nba&id=2437567
  3. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nba&id=2437567
  4. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2676104
  5. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nba&id=2677892
  6. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2678870
  7. ^ http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/enwiki/w/wallabe01.html
  8. ^ http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/enwiki/w/wallabe01.html
  9. ^ http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/olajuha01.html
  10. ^ http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/robinda01.html
Preceded by NBA Defensive Player of the Year
2002, 2003
2005, 2006 		Succeeded by
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