'02 through '04 playoffs rebounds average: 16.1 16.3 14.3 with around 2 blocks and 2 steals a game added in. Thats getting it DONE. Ben Wallace was a beast who at that time DID have a chance against Dwight Howard But this decade sure passed by quick. If he retires he'll have a nice career to look back on
Nothing but respect for the guy. The dude was undrafted, worked himself to become a starting center, become Defensive Player of the Year FOUR times, and won a NBA championship. Not too shabby career.
correct me if my understanding of the NBA CBA is wrong, even if wallace retires, he still gets his $14 Million dollars since it is a guaranteed contract, wallace's contact is only off the books of the Cadaver's salary cap
He may have declined significantly, but he was still a much better option against Howard than Big Slow-As-Molasses Z. Mike Brown's "coaching" in this series was virtually nonexistent.
I just don't think of him as that old. I was wondering why Brown had him on the pine also. I guess he's done. hard to believe, he still has an incredible physique. when it goes, it goes
He pretty much did. The thing that made Ben Wallace a special player on defense and on the boards was his effort and energy. After he left Detroit, it seemed like he wasn't motivated at all. I think that will ultimately keep him from being considered one of the leagues all-time best post defenders, despite having won DPOY four times.
Who cares. He's been worthless for years now. Such is life when a player relies solely on athleticism. On a related note, it makes you appreciate high-IQ players like Mutombo, who can continue to be effective, even way past his prime.
I didn't even realize he won DPOY four times. Ben really has fallen off the map. Looking back at his days with Detroit in 02-03 he averaged 15.4 RPG and 3.2 blocked shots.... very impressive. Those days are long gone.
riiiiiight, and being 7'2 had nothing to do with that. Ben Wallace is listed at 6'9 and has admitted to being closer to 6'7. Yea, he's a 6'7 center who had to work very hard to get where he's at. It's even more impressive when you think about the fact that they were the slowest team in basketball that year. Less possessions = less shot attempts = less opportunities to get rebounds If he played for a fast paced team in his prime he might have grabbed 20 boards for a season or two.
What are you suggesting? That the league finally caught on to his height, and that's what caused him to stop being effective? Please. Being 6'9" wasn't much of a hindrance before when he was winning DPOY awards. The point is that if you're an intelligent basketball player who relies on more than just your athleticism, you will still find a way to contribute even when said athleticism is gone. Wallace ain't one of those guys.
He doesn't even deserve one DPOY unless he splits it with Rasheed Wallace. B. Wallace was always a great rebounder but without Rasheed to do the heavy lifting on taller, stronger post players nobody would have really cared who Ben Wallace was.
Are you unfamiliar with how beneficial height is to a player in the NBA? I'm suggesting that Dikimbe Mutombo is 7'2. When his athleticism left he was much less effective but he could still use his size to rebound and defend the paint. Ben Wallace came into the league at a disadvantage because he is so small for a center. When HE lost his athleticism he was at even more of a disadvantage. And, he has found a way to contribute. Big Ben was still an effective rebounder when he played, he just played much fewer minutes this season and was less effect on defense. It doesn't matter what level his basketball IQ is at. Using a slow 6'7 center with no range for long stretches in a game isn't going to be good for any team.
