Ben Wallace (basketball) facts for kids
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Wallace with the Detroit Pistons in 2009
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| Detroit Pistons | |
|---|---|
| Basketball operations and team engagement advisor | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | September 10, 1974 White Hall, Alabama, U.S. |
| High school | Central (Hayneville, Alabama) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1996 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1996–2012 |
| League | NBA |
| Career history | |
| 1996 | Viola Reggio Calabria |
| 1996–1999 | Washington Bullets / Wizards |
| 1999–2000 | Orlando Magic |
| 2000–2006 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2006–2008 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2008–2009 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2009–2012 | Detroit Pistons |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 6,254 (5.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 10,482 (9.6 rpg) |
| Blocks | 2,137 (2.0 bpg) |
Ben Camey Wallace (born September 10, 1974) is a famous American basketball player. He spent most of his career with the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). People often called him "Big Ben". He is known as one of the best players who was never chosen in the NBA draft. Wallace was amazing at blocking shots, grabbing rebounds, and playing strong defense.
Ben Wallace grew up in Alabama. He played college basketball at Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University. His NBA career lasted from 1996 to 2012. He played for the Washington Bullets/Wizards, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers, as well as the Pistons.
Wallace won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times. This is a record he shares with Dikembe Mutombo and Rudy Gobert. During his nine seasons with the Pistons (2000–2006 and 2009–2012), he helped them reach the NBA Finals twice. They won the championship in 2004. The Pistons honored him by retiring his jersey number 3 in 2016. In 2021, Wallace was added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Since 2021, Wallace has worked for the Pistons as a basketball operations and team engagement advisor.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Beginnings
Ben Camey Wallace was born on September 10, 1974. He grew up in White Hall, Alabama, a small town. He was the tenth of eleven children in his family.
Wallace went to Central High School in Hayneville, Alabama. There, he was a top athlete in basketball, baseball, and football. He earned all-state honors in all three sports. A former NBA player named Charles Oakley became Wallace's mentor. Oakley found Wallace at a basketball camp in 1991. He later suggested Wallace go to his old college, Virginia Union.
College Basketball Career
Wallace started his college basketball journey at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. He played there for two years. Even then, he showed his amazing defensive skills. He averaged 17.0 rebounds and 6.9 blocks per game.
After two years, he moved to Virginia Union University. This was an NCAA Division II school. He studied criminal justice there. As a member of the Virginia Union Panthers, Wallace averaged 13.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. He led his team to the Division II Final Four. They finished with a great record of 28 wins and 3 losses. In his senior year, Wallace was named to the All-CIAA first team. He was also chosen as a first-team Division II All-American.
Professional Basketball Journey
Starting in Italy
After college, Ben Wallace was not chosen in the NBA draft. He then traveled to Italy for a tryout. He played one game for the Italian team Viola Reggio Calabria in August 1996.
Washington Bullets / Wizards (1996–1999)
Wallace joined the Washington Bullets for the 1996–97 season. He played in only 34 games and did not get much playing time. The next year, he played in 67 games and started 16. He averaged 3.1 points and 4.8 rebounds. However, he averaged 1.1 blocks, showing his defensive talent.
His playing time grew a lot in the 1998–99 season. He started 16 of 46 games. He averaged 6.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. Even with Wallace's efforts, Washington did not make the playoffs for three years.
Orlando Magic (1999–2000)
On August 11, 1999, Wallace was traded to the Orlando Magic. This was part of a trade involving several players. In the 1999–2000 season, he became a full-time starter. He started all 81 games he played. He averaged 4.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks. The Magic won 41 games but missed the playoffs. After the season, the Magic traded Wallace and Chucky Atkins to the Detroit Pistons. This trade was for superstar Grant Hill.
Detroit Pistons (2000–2006)
Becoming a Defensive Star
Many thought the trade for Grant Hill was unfair to the Pistons. But in the 2000–01 season, Wallace had his best year yet. He averaged 6.4 points per game. He was second in the league for rebounds with 13.2 per game. He was also tenth in blocks with 2.3 per game. Still, the Pistons did not make the playoffs.
The 2001–02 season was even better for Wallace. He averaged 7.6 points per game, his highest yet. He led the league in rebounding with 13.0 per game. He also led in shot blocking with 3.5 blocks per game. His amazing defense earned him the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was also named to the All-Defensive First Team and the All-NBA Third Team. The Pistons won 50 games and their division. They beat the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs. Then they lost to the Boston Celtics. This was Wallace's first time in the playoffs. He had 19 points and 20 rebounds in his first playoff game.
In the 2002–03 season, Wallace won another Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was again chosen for the All-Defensive team and the All-NBA Second Team. His rebounding increased to 15.4 per game. The Pistons won 50 games and their division again. They beat Orlando in a tough seven-game series. They came back after being down 3–1. Detroit then beat the Philadelphia 76ers. But the New Jersey Nets swept them in the Conference Finals. Wallace averaged 16.3 rebounds per game in the playoffs.
NBA Champion and More Finals Appearances
The 2003–04 season saw Wallace continue to be a top rebounder (12.4 per game) and shot blocker (3.2 per game). He scored more, averaging 9.5 points per game. He was again named to the All-Defensive First Team and the All-NBA Second Team. The team got a new coach, Larry Brown. He led the Pistons to 54 wins. They also added star power forward Rasheed Wallace. This made their defense and scoring even better.
In the playoffs, the Pistons easily beat the Milwaukee Bucks. Then they faced the New Jersey Nets again. The Pistons won the series in seven games. They then played the Indiana Pacers. The Pistons won the series in six games. This sent them to the Finals.
Detroit had not been to the Finals since 1990. They faced the Los Angeles Lakers. The Pistons won Game 1 easily. The Lakers won Game 2. But in Detroit, the Pistons' strong defense and offense led to big wins in Games 3 and 4. The Lakers could not stop them. In Game 5, Detroit won 100–87 to win the NBA championship! Wallace had his best game with 18 points and 22 rebounds. This was the Pistons' third NBA title. Wallace played great defense against top players like Shaquille O'Neal. The Pistons started a tradition of playing a deep chime sound when "Big Ben" scored or blocked a shot at their home court.
The Pistons aimed to win another title in the 2004–05 season. However, a big event happened in November 2004. Wallace was involved in an incident during a game against the Indiana Pacers. He was suspended for six games. Wallace continued to play great defense (2.4 blocks per game) and rebound (12.2 per game). He also scored more points. He won another Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was also selected for the All-Defensive First Team and the All-NBA Third Team.
In the playoffs, the Pistons beat the Philadelphia 76ers. Then they defeated the Pacers. In the Conference Finals, they faced the Miami Heat. The Heat had Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade. The series was very close. The Pistons won Game 7 in Miami to reach their second straight Finals. Wallace again played strong defense against O'Neal.
In the Finals, Detroit played the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs had Tim Duncan. The Spurs won the first two games. The Pistons won the next two games in Detroit. The Spurs won a very close Game 5. Detroit won Game 6 on the road. But the Spurs won Game 7 to take the series. Wallace averaged 10 points and 11.3 rebounds in the 2005 playoffs.
Last Season in Detroit
The Pistons came back strong in the 2005–06 season. Wallace won another Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was also chosen for the All-Defensive First Team for the fifth time. He was an All-Star for the fourth year in a row. He led the league in offensive rebounds. Detroit had a great season, winning 64 games.
In the playoffs, they easily beat Milwaukee. Then they had a tough seven-game series against the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James. This set up a rematch with Miami in the Conference Finals. The Pistons struggled against Dwyane Wade and lost the series. Miami went on to win the NBA title that year. Wallace's performance in the playoffs was not as strong as before.
For five straight seasons with Wallace, the Pistons allowed the fewest points per game in the playoffs. After the 2005-06 season, Wallace became a free agent. He wanted to stay with Detroit. But he was not happy with the contract offer. So, he decided to look at other teams.
Chicago Bulls (2006–2008)
In July 2006, Wallace signed a four-year deal with the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls coach, Scott Skiles, usually did not allow players to wear headbands. But he made an exception for Wallace. His teammates voted to let him keep his famous headband.
Wallace continued to be a top defender and rebounder for the Bulls. He averaged 10.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. The Bulls won 49 games. They faced the defending champion Miami Heat in the playoffs. This was the fourth time Wallace played against Shaquille O'Neal in the playoffs. The Bulls surprised Miami by sweeping them in four games. They became the first team to sweep a defending champion in the first round.
The Bulls then faced Wallace's former team, the Pistons. The Pistons won the first three games. Chicago fought back, winning Games 4 and 5. But the Pistons were too experienced and won the series. Wallace averaged 8.7 points and 9.5 rebounds in 10 playoff games.
The Bulls started the 2007–08 season with a poor record. Coach Skiles was later replaced. During his time in Chicago, Wallace dealt with knee injuries. He averaged 5.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game.
Cleveland Cavaliers (2008–2009)
In February 2008, Wallace was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. This was a three-team trade. The Cavaliers already had Zydrunas Ilgauskas as their starting center. So, coach Mike Brown moved Wallace to the power forward position. Wallace played in 22 regular season games for Cleveland. He averaged 4.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. In the playoffs, Wallace played in 13 games. He averaged 3.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks.
In June 2009, Wallace was traded to the Phoenix Suns. In July 2009, the Suns bought out Wallace's contract.
Return to Detroit (2009–2012)
On August 7, 2009, Wallace decided to return to the Pistons. He signed a one-year deal. He used to wear jersey number 3 for the Pistons. But he changed to number 6 when he came back. This allowed Rodney Stuckey to keep number 3. On July 11, 2010, Wallace signed a two-year deal with the Pistons.
On November 30, 2010, Wallace reached a big milestone. He got his 10,000th career rebound. He became the 34th player in NBA history to do so. On December 22, 2010, Wallace played his 1,000th game. He was the 95th player in NBA history to reach this mark. On February 14, 2012, Wallace played his 1,055th game. This set a new record for the most games played by a player who was not drafted.
On January 16, 2016, the Pistons retired Wallace's No. 3 jersey.
Player Profile
Ben Wallace was listed at 6 feet 9 inches tall. But he said he was closer to 6 feet 7 inches. Even though he was not the tallest center, he played that position because of his strength and athleticism. Wallace became famous for his amazing rebounding and shot blocking. He won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award four times in five years. He was also known for having more blocks than personal fouls. He also had more steals than turnovers.
However, Wallace was not a high scorer. He averaged only 5.7 points per game in his career. Most of his points came from put-backs after offensive rebounds or fast breaks. Wallace also holds the record for the worst free-throw shooting percentage in NBA history. He shot under 42 percent from the free-throw line.
Career Achievements and Records
Awards and Honors
- NBA champion: 2004
- 4× NBA All-Star: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
- 4× NBA Defensive Player of the Year: 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006
- 6× All-NBA Defensive Team:
- First Team: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
- Second Team: 2007
- 5× All-NBA Team:
- Second Team: 2003, 2004, 2006
- Third Team: 2002, 2005
- Number 3 jersey retired by the Detroit Pistons
- Michigan Sports Hall of Fame: 2016
- He is the only undrafted player in NBA history to be voted a starter for the NBA All-Star Game (as of 2003).
- He is one of only three players in NBA history to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times (along with Dikembe Mutombo and Rudy Gobert).
- He is the first undrafted player in modern NBA history to be chosen for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
NBA Records and Achievements
- 2× NBA rebounding leader (rebounds per game): 2002 (13.0), 2003 (15.4)
- 2× NBA rebounding leader (total rebounds): 2001 (1,052), 2003 (1,126)
- NBA rebounding leader (total defensive rebounds): 2001 (749)
- 2× NBA rebounding leader (total offensive rebounds): 2003 (293), 2006 (301)
- NBA blocks leader: 2002 (3.5)
- NBA blocks leader (total blocks): 2002 (278)
Detroit Pistons Franchise Records
- Most blocks (all-time): 1,486 (2000–2006, 2009–2012)
- Most blocks in one season: 278 (2001–02)
- Highest blocks per game average (all-time): 2.3 (2000–2006, 2009–2012)
- Highest blocks per game average (season): 3.5 (2001–02)
NBA Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | Washington | 34 | 0 | 5.8 | .348 | — | .300 | 1.7 | .1 | .2 | .3 | 1.1 |
| 1997–98 | Washington | 67 | 16 | 16.8 | .518 | — | .357 | 4.8 | .3 | .9 | 1.1 | 3.1 |
| 1998–99 | Washington | 46 | 16 | 26.8 | .578 | — | .356 | 8.3 | .4 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 6.0 |
| 1999–00 | Orlando | 81 | 81 | 24.2 | .503 | — | .474 | 8.2 | .8 | .9 | 1.6 | 4.8 |
| 2000–01 | Detroit | 80 | 79 | 34.5 | .490 | .250 | .336 | 13.2 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 6.4 |
| 2001–02 | Detroit | 80 | 80 | 36.5 | .531 | .000 | .423 | 13.0* | 1.4 | 1.7 | 3.5* | 7.6 |
| 2002–03 | Detroit | 73 | 73 | 39.4 | .481 | .167 | .450 | 15.4* | 1.6 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 6.9 |
| 2003–04† | Detroit | 81 | 81 | 37.7 | .421 | .125 | .490 | 12.4 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 9.5 |
| 2004–05 | Detroit | 74 | 74 | 36.1 | .453 | .111 | .428 | 12.2 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 9.7 |
| 2005–06 | Detroit | 82* | 82* | 35.2 | .510 | .000 | .416 | 11.3 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 7.3 |
| 2006–07 | Chicago | 77 | 77 | 35.0 | .453 | .200 | .408 | 10.7 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 6.4 |
| 2007–08 | Chicago | 50 | 50 | 32.5 | .373 | .000 | .424 | 8.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 5.1 |
| 2007–08 | Cleveland | 22 | 22 | 26.3 | .457 | — | .432 | 7.4 | .6 | .9 | 1.7 | 4.2 |
| 2008–09 | Cleveland | 56 | 53 | 23.5 | .445 | — | .422 | 6.5 | .8 | .9 | 1.3 | 2.9 |
| 2009–10 | Detroit | 69 | 67 | 28.6 | .541 | .000 | .406 | 8.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 5.5 |
| 2010–11 | Detroit | 54 | 49 | 22.9 | .450 | .500 | .333 | 6.5 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.9 |
| 2011–12 | Detroit | 62 | 11 | 15.8 | .395 | .250 | .340 | 4.3 | .7 | .8 | .8 | 1.4 |
| Career | 1088 | 912 | 29.5 | .474 | .137 | .414 | 9.6 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 5.7 | |
| All-Star | 4 | 2 | 21.5 | .400 | .000 | .000 | 7.0 | .5 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 3.0 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Detroit | 10 | 10 | 40.8 | .475 | — | .436 | 16.1 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 7.3 |
| 2003 | Detroit | 17 | 17 | 42.5 | .486 | .000 | .446 | 16.3 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 8.9 |
| 2004† | Detroit | 23 | 23 | 40.2 | .454 | .000 | .427 | 14.3 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 10.3 |
| 2005 | Detroit | 25 | 25 | 39.2 | .481 | .000 | .461 | 11.3 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 10.0 |
| 2006 | Detroit | 18 | 18 | 35.7 | .465 | .000 | .273 | 10.5 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 4.7 |
| 2007 | Chicago | 10 | 10 | 36.9 | .566 | .000 | .500 | 9.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 8.7 |
| 2008 | Cleveland | 13 | 13 | 23.4 | .515 | — | .350 | 6.5 | 1.2 | .6 | 1.1 | 3.2 |
| 2009 | Cleveland | 14 | 0 | 12.6 | .615 | — | .000 | 2.7 | .3 | .3 | .3 | 1.1 |
| Career | 130 | 116 | 34.8 | .482 | .000 | .418 | 11.2 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 7.2 | |
Executive Career
In 2018, Wallace became an ownership partner for the Grand Rapids Drive. This team was the Pistons' NBA G League affiliate. He served in that role until the team changed its affiliation. In 2021, he was named the Pistons' basketball operations and team engagement advisor.
Personal Life
Ben Wallace is married to Chanda Wallace. They have two sons, Ben Jr. and Bryce, and one daughter, Bailey.
Wallace appeared on the cover of ESPN NBA 2K5. An inflatable basketball training aid of Wallace was made. It was called the Inflatable Defender. His own sneaker, the Big Ben, was released in 2007.
Images for kids
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Wallace with the Detroit Pistons in 2009
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Wallace is honored with the Pistons at the White House by President Bush for the team's victory in the 2004 NBA Finals
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Wallace with the Pistons in 2005
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Wallace during his time with the Bulls in 2008
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Wallace with the Cavaliers in 2008
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Wallace defending Kevin Love, 2012
See also
In Spanish: Ben Wallace (baloncestista) para niños
