The NBA Finals is just one win away fro the Los Angeles Lakers to officially finish this pandemic season and re claim as the NBA Champs which they last won way back 2010 withe the lead of the late NBA Legend Kobe Bryant. As the Lakers beat today the Miami in Game of their best of seven NBA Finals series via score of 102 -96 for the Lakers.
Do you still remember the NBA Finals 2004 between the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Detroit Pistons that has been remembered as one of the biggest upset in the NBA Finals History? Because the Lakers that time have Shaquille O'neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone and Gary Payton that is one of those formed Super Teams that has never won a Championship which their opponent that time are the under dog and the best defensive team of that season which was lead by Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and 'Big' Ben Wallace that has won NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award 4 times. And in this article of line lets look back on the story of "Big Ben"
Before in the era of 70's and 80's there as a lot pf players in College that are playing in Division 2 teams that was been picked in the NBA Draft, some of them are Charles Oakley, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. But in the late 90's have trimmed down the list of it's players that in this era are almost nothing.
Ben Wallace is a member of the NBA Draft Class of 1996 which he played in Virginia Union, that before then was playing under the Division 2 teams in College. That Draft of class of 1996 was considered as one of the best and elite class of all times that include Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Steve Nash and at that time Ben Wallace that was not been picked by any teams.
Ben first play first in Italy after that he received a call from the Washington Bullets to play in the NBA. In his 3 seasons in the Bullets he averaged 6 points and 8 rebounds per game. Then in 2000 season he was traded to the Orlando Magic and has been put in the starting line up. In 2001 he was traded again to the Detroit Pistons and exchange for Grant Hill that some media says that this trade was one sided ion favor of the Magic. In his first season in Detroit he became productive in the defensive end. He averaged 13 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. In 2002 he won his first defensive player of the year award and the Pistons also reach the playoffs. And in the next year in 2003 he won again the same award for his back to back wins which he averaged that year 15 rebounds and 3 blocks per game. Also in 2003 the Pistons added to their line up Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton and Wallace get also his first All Star Selection.
Entering 2004 the Detroit Pistons became a much contender team, after they got the service of the All Star that time which considered also as Bad Boy Rasheed Wallace. Which on this year they reach the NBA Finals to face the power house team Los Angeles Lakers that a lot of people believe that is going to be an easy win for the Lakers because in papers the Lakers have a very big advantage on the Pistons. That this Finals is a battle of team defense versus pass first offense, that the Lakers really struggle that comes from the Bleacher Report that 2004 Finals was one of the worst Finals series performance by Kobe Bryant. That at that time the Detroit Pistons have defeated the Lakers in 5 games and have won the 2004 World Championships that they have last won in the Era of the Original Bad Boys of Detroit in the late 90's.
After their 2004 Championship win the Pistons remain the strong contender in the Eastern Conference. Ben win another 2 Defensive Player of the Year award in 2005 and 2006, and they are always reach the Conference Finals which they enter again in the 2005 NBA Finals which they faced the San Antonio Spurs which became that Champion on that year when they beat the Pistons in 7 games.
Wallace career has been changed when he left the Pistons and joined the Chicago Bulls in 2006- 2007 season where he got a lot more money from his contract, he played under Scott Skiles that their offense is coming from run n gun. And in 2008 he was traded to Cleveland where he became team mate with LeBron James.
Wallace goes back to Detroit Pistons in 2010 but the old "Big" Ben Wallace game is no more. And on 2012 he call it quit in the NBA as he retires form the game of basketball in the NBA, while Pistons also retired his jersey number 3 in their organization.
Ben Wallace is one of the players that considered one of the Best Undrafted players of all time. He became a member of NBA All Star 4 times, All NBA Team and and one time NBA Champion. Aside from his 4 time NBA Defensive Player of the Year award and a lot of rebounding titles in his NBA career.
Since 2017 Ben Wallace is eligible already to become a member of the Hall of Fame but the problem is nobody is voting for him to be in the elite list, and other reason because a lot of his batch mate are mostly scorer and play maker. One issue that has seen to him, he is a liability on his team when it comes to offense, he's free throw percentage are very poor even though his field goal percentage is high that mostly of his points are coming from inside the basket lay ups or dunk. Also some panelist said that he do not have a post move just like the other big men. He also don't have a jump shot because overall rating is what they considered to belong on the Hall of Fame of Basketball. Even other analyst wants Wallace to be part of the HALL OF FAME and if ever it does happen he will become the first undrafted NBA Player to be able to belong on that very exclusive list. So that is my article about Ben Wallace until next time and i will continue to update you on the on going NBA Finals and let see if the Miami Heat can make another upset and miracle comeback or the Lakers will secure the Championship, thank you a d take care every one.
Good article