Listed at 6’9 and a chiseled 240 pounds, nobody in the NBA held down the paint in the early-mid 2000’s like Ben Wallace.
Undrafted coming out of Virginia Union in 1996, Wallace spent his first three seasons with the Washington Wizards (his first season was Washington’s last named the Bullets) and his fourth with the Orlando Magic. In those seasons, he averaged 5.7 RPG and 1.2 blocks per game, decent numbers for an undrafted player, but nothing compared to his next seven years.
From 2000-2007, with six of those seasons with the Detroit Pistons, Wallace averaged 12.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. In that time, he racked up four NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards, made five All-NBA teams (3x second team, 2x third), five All-NBA first team five years in a row (2002-2006) and second team in 2007 with the Chicago Bulls. We also can’t forget his defensive performance helped bring the Pistons an NBA title in 2004. Although he was undersized as a center and probably really 6’7 instead of 6’9, he used his brute strength and power to match up with the likes of Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O’Neal and many others who usually would tower over him.
Wallace, who would be known as “Big Ben,” became a fan favorite for his cornrows, afro and relentless style of play on the defensive end. Wallace wasn’t much of an offensive threat; he only averaged 5.7 points per game. But, with his magic on the defensive end, Wallace became an NBA great forever.
