John Wallace (basketball) facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 9, 1974 Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| High school | Greece Athena (Rochester, New York) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Syracuse (1992–1996) |
| NBA Draft | 1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18th overall |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Pro career | 1996–2005 |
| Career history | |
| 1996–1997 | New York Knicks |
| 1997–1999 | Toronto Raptors |
| 1999–2000 | New York Knicks |
| 2000–2001 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2001–2002 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2002–2003 | Panionios |
| 2003–2004 | Miami Heat |
| 2005 | Snaidero Udine |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 2,091 (7.6 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,061 (2.8 rpg) |
| Assists | 281 (0.7 apg) |
John Gilbert Wallace (born February 9, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player. He is now a broadcaster for MSG Networks. He also hosts a live show and podcast called "Power Forward w/ John Wallace."
John Wallace is 6 feet 8 inches tall. He played as a forward. He spent seven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also played basketball in Greece and Italy.
Wallace graduated from Greece Athena High School in Rochester, New York, in 1992. He led Syracuse University to the NCAA championship game in 1996. After college, the New York Knicks picked him 18th in the 1996 NBA draft. He played for the Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, and the Miami Heat.
John Wallace is also a board member of the Heavenly Productions Foundation. This charity helps children who are in need or facing difficulties.
Contents
John Wallace's College Basketball Journey
John Wallace started playing basketball in 9th grade at Greece Athena High School. As a junior, he caught the eye of college coaches. One of them was Jim Boeheim, the head coach at Syracuse University.
Even though Syracuse's basketball program was under investigation, Wallace decided to go there. He was named to the 1992 McDonald's All-American Team. This team included future NBA stars like Jason Kidd.
Freshman Year (1992–93)
Wallace joined Syracuse in the fall of 1992. He started all 29 games as a freshman. He averaged 11.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. The team finished with a 20–9 record. They made it to the Big East Championship game.
Sophomore Year (1993–94)
Wallace became a key player for Syracuse in his sophomore year. He started every game again. He averaged 15.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
Syracuse was ranked 13th in the country. They went to the NCAA Tournament as a 4th seed. They reached the Sweet Sixteen. There, they lost to the Missouri Tigers in overtime.
Junior Year (1994–95)
Syracuse started the 1994–95 season ranked 8th. They won 14 games in a row. They finished the regular season with a 21–8 record.
In the NCAA Tournament, Syracuse was a 7th seed. They faced the defending champions, the Arkansas Razorbacks. Wallace scored 29 points in that game. But Syracuse lost in overtime.
Senior Year (1995–96)
Many thought Wallace would join the NBA after his junior year. But he chose to return to Syracuse. He became the team's main leader.
Syracuse started the season unranked. But they ended with a 24–8 record and were ranked 15th. Wallace averaged 22.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.
In the 1996 NCAA Tournament, Syracuse was a 4th seed. They beat Montana State and Drexel. Then they faced the University of Georgia in the Sweet Sixteen. Wallace made a dramatic pass that led to a shot, forcing overtime. In overtime, Wallace scored a key basket. Then, with seconds left, he hit a game-winning 3-pointer. This shot gave him 30 points and 15 rebounds. It sent Syracuse to the Elite 8.
Syracuse then beat Kansas to reach the Final Four. In the National Semifinal, Wallace led his team to a win against Mississippi State. In the championship game, Syracuse played against a strong Kentucky team. Wallace scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. But Syracuse lost the game.
Even with the loss, Wallace became a Syracuse legend. He finished his college career as the third-highest scorer in Syracuse history. On February 29, 2020, Syracuse retired his number 44 jersey. He was the last player to wear the famous "Magic 44" jersey.
Career Statistics
NBA
| 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 | New York | 68 | 6 | 11.6 | .517 | .500 | .718 | 2.3 | .5 | .3 | .4 | 4.8 |
| 1997–98 | Toronto | 82* | 36 | 28.8 | .478 | .500 | .717 | 4.5 | 1.3 | .8 | 1.2 | 14.0 |
| 1998–99 | Toronto | 48 | 3 | 16.9 | .432 | – | .700 | 3.6 | 1.0 | .3 | .9 | 8.6 |
| 1999–00 | New York | 60 | 0 | 13.3 | .467 | .000 | .804 | 2.3 | .4 | .2 | .2 | 6.5 |
| 2000–01 | Detroit | 40 | 0 | 13.2 | .424 | .133 | .778 | 2.1 | .6 | .3 | .4 | 5.9 |
| 2001–02 | Phoenix | 46 | 0 | 10.7 | .435 | .385 | .870 | 1.8 | .6 | .2 | .2 | 5.0 |
| 2003–04 | Miami | 37 | 0 | 9.9 | .421 | .385 | .775 | 1.6 | .4 | .1 | .2 | 4.3 |
| Career | 381 | 45 | 16.1 | .462 | .300 | .740 | 2.8 | .7 | .4 | .6 | 7.6 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | New York | 4 | 1 | 10.0 | .267 | .000 | 1.000 | 1.8 | 1.3 | .3 | .5 | 2.5 |
| 2000 | New York | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | .000 | – | – | 1.0 | .0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 |
| Career | 5 | 1 | 8.8 | .235 | .000 | 1.000 | 1.6 | 1.0 | .4 | .4 | 2.0 | |
College
| Season | College | GP | MPG | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | Syracuse | 29 | 29.8 | 7.6 | 1.3 | 11.1 |
| 1993–94 | Syracuse | 30 | 32.6 | 9.0 | 1.7 | 15.0 |
| 1994–95 | Syracuse | 30 | 33.0 | 8.2 | 2.6 | 16.8 |
| 1995–96 | Syracuse | 38 | 36.3 | 8.7 | 2.4 | 22.2 |
| Career | 4 Seasons | 127 | 33.1 | 8.4 | 2.0 | 16.7 |
Life After Professional Basketball
After retiring from playing basketball in 2005, John Wallace started a new career. He worked for the New York Knicks' main office as a team ambassador.
In 2014, Wallace began appearing as a basketball analyst on MSG. He became a regular on shows like "People Talking Sports."
On November 3, 2020, Wallace launched his own live stream and podcast. It's called "Power Forward w/ John Wallace." His first guest was his former Syracuse teammate, Lawrence Moten. The show features talks with former teammates and other interesting people. The live streams are on SportsCastr. This platform was co-founded by important figures like NBA Commissioner Emeritus David Stern and Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim.
Wallace also dedicates his time to helping others. He is an executive board member of the Heavenly Productions Foundation. This non-profit group helps children who are in need or facing difficult times.
Fun Facts About John Wallace
- John Wallace didn't start playing basketball until he was in 9th grade. Before that, he trained to be a boxer!
- He played a character named Lonnie in the 1998 movie He Got Game. The film was directed by Spike Lee.
See also
In Spanish: John Wallace para niños
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds
