Ben Wallace is an American former professional basketball player and current basketball executive. Playing most of his career in the National Basketball Association, he is regarded by many to be the greatest undrafted player in NBA history.
Wallace won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times, a record he shares with Dikembe Mutombo. In nine seasons with the Pistons (2000–2006; 2009–2012), Wallace made two NBA Finals appearances (2004 and 2005) and won a championship with the team in 2004. The Pistons retired his jersey No. 3 in 2016. Wallace was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in the class of 2021.
Ben Wallace Bio/ Wiki
| Ben Wallace Real Name | Веnјаmіn Саmеrоn Wаllасе |
| Nick Name | Веn Wаllасе |
| Profession | Rеtіrеd Рrоfеѕѕіоnаl Ваѕkеtbаllеr |
| Physical Stat | |
| Ben Wallace Height | In Centimeter- 206 cm In Meter- 2.06 m In Feet- 6’9” |
| Ben Wallace Weight | In Kilogram- 109 kg In Pound- 240 lbs |
| Body Measurement | Chest- 46 Inches Waist- 37 Inches Biceps- 16 Inches |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Personal Life | |
| Date Of Birth | 10 September 1974 (Tuesday) |
| Ben Wallace Age (2022) | 48 Years |
| Birthplace | Whіtе Наll, Аlаbаmа |
| Zodiac Sign/Sun Sign | Virgo |
| Nationality | American |
| Home town | White Hall, Alabama, Lowndes County United States |
| School | Central High School, Hayneville |
| College/University | Virginia Union college. |
| Family member(s) | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Ben Wallace Wife | Chanda Wallace |
| Children | Son– Ben Jr. and Bryce Daughter– Bailey |
| Ben Wallace Parents | Father– Name Not Known Mother– Sadie Wallace |
| Sibling | Brother-David Wallace (Basketball player), Sam Wallace Jr., Pete Wallace, Dennis Wallace, Shirley Wallace, James Wallace, Stephanie Wallace, James McBride Sr., Eden Wallace, and Eva L. Wallace. |
| Income | |
| Ben Wallace Net Worth (2022) | 50 Million USD |
Early Life
Ben Wallace was born in White Hall, Alabama, in the United States of America, on September 10, 1974. There is little information available about his parents and early life. He did, however, grow up with 10 siblings.
Ben Wallace continued his study at Central High School. Since high school, he has excelled in baseball, basketball, and football. Wallace’s honor roll included all-state football, basketball, and baseball teams. His instructor, Charles Oakley, noticed him at a basketball camp in 1991 and advised him to attend Virginia Union University, which he had previously attended.
Ben Wallace played basketball for two years while attending Cuyahoga Community College. He grabbed 17.0 rebounds and blocked 6.9 shots per game. He joined the Virginia Union on the recommendation of Charles Oakley.
During his stay at the institution, he averaged 13.4 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Personal Life
Ben Wallace was born on September 10, 1974 is a retired professional basketball player from the United States.
Ben Wallace, an Alabama native, attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Washington Bullets (later Wizards) in 1996.
Wallace had his NBA career with the Washington Bullets/Wizards, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
He has 10 brothers and sisters.
In 2001, he married his wife Chanda, Together, the couple has two boys and one daughter.
Since 1990, Detroit had not made it to the NBA Finals.
Ben Wallace Career
- After graduating from Virginia Union University, Wallace was not drafted.
- In Italy, he also played for the Viola Reggio Calabria squad. The Washington Bullets signed him as a rookie in 1996.
- From 1996 to 97, he appeared in 34 games for the team.
- However, his amazing skill was not highlighted during the season.
- In 67 games the next season, he averaged 3.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
- On August 11, 1999, Ben was purchased by a new franchise, the Orlando Magic.
- During the 1999-2000 season, he started 81 games.
- He averaged 4.8 points, 1.6 blocks, and 8.2 rebounds in 81 games, helping his club win 41.
- In 2000-01, he was hired by a new franchise, the Detroit Pistons.
- During the 2001-02 season, he was named “NBA Defensive Player of the Year” for his great defense.
- During the 2002-03 season, he received the Defensive Player Award once more.
- He was the captain of Detroit’s championship squad in 2003-04.
- He finished the game with 12 points and 16 rebounds.
- During the 2005-06 season, Wallace earned the award for the second time in his career.
- During the season, Detroit was unbeatable and dominant, winning 64 games.
- Wallace signed a four-year contract with the Chicago Bulls in 2006.
- After playing with the Chicago Bulls from 2007 to 08, he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2008.
- Ben was acquired by the Phoenix Suns in a trade on June 25, 2009.
- On August 7, 2009, he returned to the Detroit Pistons as a free agent after almost a month and a half with the franchise.
- During his stint with the Pistons, he set a new career-high.
- In 2010, Wallace became the 34th player in NBA history to achieve 10,000 rebounds.
- On January 16, 2016, Detroit’s No. 3 jersey was retired.
- The Pistons dominated game one, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 87–75 in Los Angeles.
- The Lakers responded in game 2 with late-game heroes by team captains Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal before the series moved to Detroit, but the Pistons won game 3 88–68 thanks to a combined defensive effort and near-perfect offensive performance at home.
- In-game 4, the Lakers were unable to reply as the Pistons held their own and continued to dominate on defense and rebounds to defeat the Lakers 88–80.
- Los Angeles needed one win to bring the series back to their home floor, but the Pistons were far too dominant in game 5, as Detroit won the game 100–87 to win the NBA title, led by Wallace, who had his finest game of the series with 18 points and 22 assists.
- It would be the franchise’s third NBA championship and their first since 1990.
- Wallace held his own against Jermaine O’Neal of Indiana and Shaquille O’Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, averaging 10.3 points per game, 14.3 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks.
- Wallace had individual Defensive Ratings of 87 and 84 in the 2003–04 season and playoffs, respectively.
- Both of these marks are the lowest individual defensive ratings produced in a regular-season or playoffs among players with a comparable number of games and minutes played.
Facts About Ben Wallace
- Wallace is widely regarded as the finest undrafted NBA player of all time.
- Wallace continued to rank among the league leaders in rebounding (12.4 per game) and blocks in 2003–04. (3.2 per game).
- Despite losing the Defensive Player of the Year award for the third time in a row to Ron Artest, Wallace upped his scoring average to 9.5 points per game and was chosen to the All-Defensive First Team and the All-NBA Second Team.
- The season also saw the debut of new head coach Larry Brown, who led the Pistons to 54 victories, including a late-season signing of star power forward Rasheed Wallace to enhance the team’s defense and scoring.
- The Pistons easily overcame the Milwaukee Bucks in five games in the playoffs before meeting New Jersey for the second year in a row.
- Despite establishing a two-game lead early in the series, the Nets fought back to win three consecutive games against the Pistons, and the Pistons answered with an 81–75 away win in New Jersey (in which Wallace collected 20 rebounds) before clinching the series with a 90–69 game 7 triumph.
- The Pistons would next meet the league-leading Indiana Pacers, led by Ron Artest and Reggie Miller, and the two teams split the first four games.
- The Pistons’ defense and perseverance proved too much for the Pacers, as the Pistons won the series in six games to proceed to the NBA Finals, with Wallace scoring 12 points and collecting 16 rebounds in the series finale.
- Wallace continued to dominate on defense (2.4 blocks per game) and rebounding (12.2 per game), while also increasing his scoring output, on his route to winning another Defensive Player of the Year Award and being named to the All-Defensive First Team and the All-NBA Third Team.
- The Pistons trounced the Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs before overcoming their rival Pacers in the semifinals in six games.
- The resurgent Miami Heat, who had acquired Shaquille O’Neal from the Lakers and were led in scoring by Dwyane Wade, would face the Lakers in the Conference Finals.
- The teams alternated wins before Miami won game 5 to take a 3–2 series lead, but the Pistons rallied by taking advantage of Wade’s injury in game 6 before grinding out an 88–82 game 7 win on the road in Miami to go to their second consecutive Finals.
- For the entire series, Wallace held his own against O’Neal.
- Despite the heartbreaking Finals defeat, the Pistons came back with a fury in the 2005–06 season, with Wallace earning his fifth consecutive Defensive Player of the Year Award, being named to the All-Defensive First Team for the fifth time, and being named to the All-NBA Third Team.
- For the fourth consecutive season, he was chosen as an All-Star, and he led the league in total offensive rebounds with 301.
- Detroit was dominant all season, winning 64 games and earning the conference’s top seed.
- The playoffs began with a resounding victory over Milwaukee in the first round, followed by a difficult seven-game series victory against the youthful Cleveland Cavaliers, spearheaded by All-Star forward LeBron James.
- This set up a repeat of the conference finals with Miami, who had retooled their team in the off-season.
- The Pistons struggled throughout the series, despite Dwyane Wade’s outstanding effort, which resulted in a 4–2 triumph.
- Miami would go on to win the NBA championship that year.
- Wallace’s postseason productivity dropped dramatically from prior seasons, as he only averaged 4.7 points per game, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks.
- He would try free agency in the off-season and eventually sign with the younger Chicago Bulls, bringing an end to an era of Detroit Pistons basketball that had depended on him as a defensive and rebounding pillar.
- In each of the five years that Wallace was with the Pistons, Detroit allowed the fewest points per game of any of the 16 playoff teams.
- Without Wallace, the Pistons finished third in points allowed per game in the 2007 and 2008 playoffs.